The Adventure of the Löwenmähner Pension
by Sierra Sutherwinds
Summary: "Murder!," she screamed and fell down unconscious.
1. The Game's a Foot

_**The Adventure of the Löwenmähner Pension**_

_This is a story of mystery. I have to mention that HH characters are not mine and I don't profit from them. The situations are not based on anything near real life. However the similitude to elements and/or characters from the board game** Clue** is clearly intentional. _

_The title of each chapter comes from Sherlock Holmes' quotes._

* * *

><p><em><strong>ACT ONE: The game's a foot.<strong>_

It was late in the afternoon. The sun had gone down and a persistent blizzard threatened the old truck's stability at every turn on the road. Langenscheidt could barely control the wheel and finally, he gave up.

"Why are we stopping?" Schultz woke up suddenly.

"It's all that snow, Sergeant. I don't think I'd be able to pass through."

Sergeant Schultz examined the situation. They had to take the prisoners back to camp before the evening roll call. Although Kommandant Klink was not there as the moment, he expected Schultz and Langenscheidt to make sure that everything went on as if he were. On the other hand, efficiency would mean nothing if they had an accident on the road just for trying to get to the Stalag on time.

"Let's look for some place where we can wait out the storm. We're not that far from camp anyway."

Newkirk peered through the canvas but all he could see was the white and the wind blowing merciless against them. The cold swept inside and the passengers protested.

"Close that damn thing! We're freezing in here." Kinch rubbed his arms and blew on his hands.

"Wasn't it enough for you to work filling potholes on the road in the middle of a blizzard?" Carter shared Kinch's moodiness.

"All right, all right. Blimey, we're at our best today, aren't we?" Newkirk crossed his legs at the same time and the movement pulled the chain around his ankles. More protests followed.

"Watch it!" Carter pulled the chain back. "These things are not made of rubber, you know?"

"I said I'm sorry, didn't I?"

"We're tired and freezing. All I want is to go back to the Stalag and have some hot cocoa." LeBeau sank on his seat. "Why did we stop? Do you know, Colonel?"

"No idea. Perhaps Langenscheidt got lost again."

"Terrible sense of direction," Carter shook his head. He took a book out of his pocket and started reading.

"Well, you're the expert on that." Newkirk chuckled. "Are you still reading that old book about petunias?"

"It's about gardening," Carter protested without interrupting his reading. "But no, this is another book. A mystery book from one of my favorite British writers, Newkirk."

"Mother Goose?"

"No! Agatha Christie," Carter showed him the cover and Newkirk snorted.

"_The Murder of Roger Ackroyd?"_ He read.

"Oh, I didn't know you like les romans policiers_."_ LeBeau said.

"I don't think so, but I like detective novels," Carter clarified.

"That's what I said, romans policiers," LeBeau shrugged.

"Anyway, this has a French detective, LeBeau." Carter showed him the book. "Hercules Poirot."

"Bien sûre. The best detective of all times."

"Oh, that's Sherlock Holmes," Newkirk said. "Didn't you see the movie? _The Hound of the Baskervilles," _he sighed, "that was the last time I went to the cinema before I was shot down."

"I like Agatha better," Carter shrugged.

"There are no movies about Poirot."

"But he's still better than Holmes," LeBeau pointed at Newkirk with his finger.

Hogan let the discussion go on for a several minutes. The weather was awful, the wind hit the truck canvas and the snow was leaking inside. A good discussion was just the thing to keep the spirits high.

"What do you think, Colonel?" Carter asked him suddenly.

"What do I think about what?"

"Who's better, Holmes or Poirot?" LeBeau leaned forward with a grin.

"Let the man alone, Louis," Newkirk snorted. "Everybody knows that Poirot is just a copy of Sherlock Holmes."

Kinch grinned knowingly "You two have got it all wrong. The best detective was August Dupin, a Frenchman but," he said looking at LeBeau's proud grin, "written by an American."

"Who?" Carter asked.

"Edgar Allan Poe," answered Kinch.

"What about you, sir," Carter turned to Hogan, "do you have a favorite detective?"

Hogan smiled, as he sought in his memory. "Sam Spade, that's my kind of guy."

The conversation languished slowly and LeBeau sighed. "Why are they taking so long?"

"Shall I go out and ask what's going on?" Newkirk said, producing a lock pick out of his hat.

"Put that away. No one is moving. We'll wait until our guards come to inform us." Hogan relaxed. "They're trying to do their job. Let's give them a break, okay?"

"Yeah, that's the least we can do after leaving the road half done and making sabotage at the same time." Kinch smiled, satisfied.

"I didn't see the point of finishing the potholes if the next truck is going to detonate the explosives." Newkirk shrugged. "I think it was a great job."

"Oh, I'd love to stay longer and see things blowing apart." Carter sighed. "But with this storm and everything..."

"Next time, Carter. We'll bring umbrellas." Hogan nodded.

The truck began to move again but it lasted only ten minutes more. Then, Schultz came and pulled everybody out. The group lined up in front of a inn and cafe bar. There were three cars outside, receiving the snow on their tops. The owners would probably be inside because it was too cold and dangerous to drive into another more updated place.

"_Die Löwenmäner Pension,_" read Kinch.

"Blimey! That's one of Sherlock Holmes' stories," Newkirk laughed. "_The Adventure of the Lion's Mane._"

"I didn't know you were so much into Sherlock Holmes, Newkirk," Kinch said.

"Detective stories, mate: strategy, opportunity and the perfect crime."

"Don't forget the hypothesis, tests and conclusion," Hogan said. "There is no such thing as a perfect crime."

Carter watched Newkirk's eyes shine mischievously.

"Prisoners, don't break the lines!" Schultz yelled. He always yelled when Langenscheidt was near. He just wanted to impress the corporal with his sense of authority. "Now listen. We're going inside the Pension and I don't want any trouble. Stay together, don't talk to anyone, and don't move around."

"Are you going to give us toys if we behave, Uncle Schultzie?" Newkirk asked.

"Oui, oui. Un cadeau, Papa Noel." LeBeau grinned.

"Enough, guys." Hogan smiled. "We'll be at our best behavior, Sergeant. But you have to do something about these," he pointed at the chains on their ankles. "People get nervous around chain gangs."

"Of course, Colonel Hogan." Schultz signed for Langenscheidt to open the locks.

0)()(0

The four costumers in the place turned immediately when the party stepped inside. Hogan pointed at one table in the corner near the bar and his men walked towards it. The silence was as uncomfortable as expected.

"Everybody is staring at us," Carter said.

"Très bien. What do we do as a second act?" LeBeau chuckled.

"You don't see a group of war prisoners entering a coffee bar every day," Kinch told the others. "Just take it easy, they'll get used to us."

"Sure, just imagine five guys in enemy uniforms and guarded like ruddy criminals. Who wouldn't be scared of us?" Newkirk turned to the bar and winked at the waitress.

"I'd be scared," Carter nodded. He studied the people at the other tables. There was a white haired woman in a turquoise dress, drinking wine and knitting. There were two men in uniform. One, must be in his early sixties, with blond hair, and apparently alone as he drank his beer. Although Carter was not too familiarized with German uniforms other than Gestapo, SS and Luftwaffe, he recognized this one as from the Afrika Corps. The rank on his jacket matched Klink's so, Carter guessed he was a colonel. The other man was at the bar with a woman. He was another Afrika Corps officer, a captain in his middle fifties, not handsome, but hard to forget with his straight profile and emotionless expression. He did not look too happy as he finished his third beer. The woman next to him looked overdressed for such an ordinary place. She was in a red satin dress and her eyes were fixed on her glass of wine. The captain did not stop talking but she did not seem to be paying much attention.

"Pretty bird, isn't she?" Newkirk's whisper brought Carter back into their reality.

"I guess," Carter shrugged. "But I think she's taken."

"Don't let the trees keep you from seeing the forest, me lad." He studied her for a moment and sighed. "Expensive lassie, just look at those nice rocks."

"Nice what?" Carter frowned. "The necklace you say?"

"You could feed a family of five for a year with a couple of those little buggers."

Carter just smirked and turned to Hogan with beseeching eyes. "Since we're going to stay for a while, couldn't we do something fun? I'm getting bored already."

"Why don't we eat? It's time, n'est-ce pas?"

Hogan agreed and called Schultz. "Can't we order anything? People keep staring."

"I don't have much money with me," he said. Then, he thought it better. It had been a long morning and he was hungry. He looked at the food on the counter and grinned. "But we can charge it to Klink."

"Sergeant-" Langenscheidt looked at him in disbelief.

"We have to feed the prisoners. It's in the Geneva Convention." Schultz called the innkeeper.

A man in his late forties came immediately. He brushed his rebellious hair with one hand as he produced a small book out of his shirt pocket. He smiled, although he did not look quite happy. "Bon soir, je m'appelle Etienne Vert," the man said. "What would it be?"

Before anyone could talk, LeBeau looked at him from head to toe. He glowered in disgust. "Vous êtes Français? Alors, que faites-vous ici?"

Hogan could see that LeBeau was not happy with this finding. He touched his arm. "What's wrong?"

"Cet homme est un collaborateur! He's with the enemy!" He almost jumped from the table.

"Calm down." Hogan did not raise his voice but made it clear that he was not joking. "First of all, we're the enemy here. Secondly, you don't know him at all. Keep your feelings in check. We don't need more attention on us, okay?"

LeBeau relaxed in his chair as Hogan's words sank in. He took a deep breath and shrugged. "Oui, mon colonel, I'm sorry," LeBeau nodded apologetically. However, he looked coldly at the innkeeper. "I don't want anything."

Etienne did not say a word. He smiled politely and called his waitress. "Liesel will take your order," he said before going back to the bar.

The young woman came with a small notebook in her hand. Her purple sweater contrasted with her blond hair. She was pretty enough to make all the men at the table smile.

"Bring us a bottle of wine, luv" Newkirk said.

"Sorry, but prisoners in custody are not allowed to drink." She shrugged. She was really pretty. Carter liked her smile, but something in her eyes told another story. She did not look happy to see them there, that was for sure.

"In that case, I want a beer," Schultz grinned. Langenscheidt glared at him in silence. "Come on, Langenscheidt, just to warm us up," the sergeant shrugged.

"Coffee for everyone else," Hogan settled the discussion before it started. "This is not a bad place. Maybe we'll have to spend the night here. Let's make the best of it."

"Without the wine, I doubt it." Newkirk smirked and sank down on his chair. The woman with the captain, was staring at him now. Her eyes were sad and her face reddish as though she had been crying for a while. Now, she looked tired and resigned.

Etienne came closer to the couple with the excuse of cleaning that side of the bar. He smiled at the woman and tried without success to make the captain stop drinking. His voice was loud enough for everyone to hear that he was not having a good time.

Langenscheidt turned on the captain's direction and exhaled with surprise. He leaned forward to whisper. "Sergeant! Have you seen who that one is?"

"Don't stare, that's impolite." Schultz sighed and turned. His eyes opened wide before he turned around to bury his face in his glass. "Ich kann es nicht glauben!" _I can't believe this!_

"What? Was wrong?" Carter asked for him and Newkirk.

"That is Captain Köperschaft," Schultz said.

"The devil in person," Langenscheidt nodded.

Carter would half swear that Langenscheidt shuddered at the mention of that name. Newkirk noticed that too and grinned.

"Oh, come on, gentlemen, a German officer? How bad can he be?"

Langenscheidt glared at him and shook his head. "Captain Köperschaft is a national hero, with more medals than three generals together."

"And that makes him a bad person?" Carter asked. "He seems a little uptight but-"

"Oh, no. Being responsible for the death of hundreds of men, that's what makes him evil," Schultz said. "His pastime is sending men into battle. Only last year, he lost three battalions in a row."

"But he's a national hero?" Carter frowned.

"Well," Schultz sighed, "he is also fearless. He was with his men in those battles. Although many died, he conquered many territories for our Fuhrer."

"Sure, tell that to the families that lost their sons and fathers," Langenscheidt said.

"Just a bit of bad luck," Newkirk shrugged, "the poor old chap."

"Oh, there's no such a thing as bad luck with Captain Köperschaft. He doesn't care about people, that's all." Langenscheidt finished with his beer and took a sip from Schultz's stein. "My pour cousin Albert went with him to Algiers... he never came back. I had to hide myself every time the captain showed up to choose more men for his division. I was lucky to be sent to Stalag XIII at that time."

"Corporal, we don't talk about our officers," Schultz claimed his drink. "The man has a bad temper, that's all."

"I only say that everywhere he goes, someone dies," Langenscheidt said as a reproach. "And how about that bad temper? He almost took you out of business not so long ago, isn't that right, Sergeant?"

"I say nothing!" Schultz looked the other way.

Carter turned to look at the captain. Now, he not only despised the man for being the enemy. To his own dismay, he felt sorry for those poor soldiers who had lost their lives under Captain Köperschaft's orders.

"If he's so popular, why isn't he a general?" Newkirk asked.

Schultz shrugged resignedly. "Bad temper takes you nowhere. There are rumors about his years as a cadet during the Big War-"

The doorbell rang again and everybody turned in that direction. The first one to enter was a man in a blue duster. He looked surprised to see the prisoners and the guards. He adjusted his collar and chose the table in the opposite corner to Hogan's. The next person coming in took the POW by surprise. It was Colonel Klink, rushing to hold the door for General Burkhalter.

"Are you sure you want to stay here. I think we could drive a couple of kilometers more. I know another place, the owners are good friends of mine and-" He looked around and smiled. "What a surprise! It looks like the party at Field Marshal Wagner's just moved to this café."

"Colonel Klink, shut up. You don't need to keep the conversation going on. We're not on the road anymore!" Burkhalter found a table quickly.

"Look what the cat dragged in," said Kinch.

Carter chuckled. "Is he following us?" He looked at the general who was frowning slightly at the sight of the white haired lady. She also could not hide her surprise when the officers came in. She seemed to bury her face on her knitting work as they passed by her table.

Hogan looked at his men. "How does he do it?"

"Uncanny, sir, totally uncanny," Newkirk shook his head.

"Of all places, he had to come here?" LeBeau sighed.

"Well, at least now we know where he is," Carter shrugged.

Schultz did not wait for the kommandant to see him. He stood up and yelled. "Achtung!" Only Langenscheidt obeyed immediately. Hogan and his men remained seated.

Klink heard the voice and did not want to turn around. This was not the best place to find his men and much less, his prisoners. He slowly got up and sighed.

"Klink, your prisoners are waving at you," Burkhalter said. "Is this their day off?"

"Schultz! Explain!" Klink regained his composure and walked towards Hogan. "What are these men doing here? Why aren't they at the Stalag?"

"Herr Kommandant, there is a good explanation, I-" Schultz did not know whether to keep up his salute or answer the question.

Klink did not wait for the sergeant. He turned and yelled. "Hogan!"

"Colonel, we were on the road when the blizzard started. It was impossible to continue. Fortunately, we found this lovely place and we're just waiting." He smiled. "Why don't you take a seat, we're waiting for our food."

"Food?" Klink looked at Schultz, who could not stop shaking. Langenscheidt was right behind him, very grateful that the sergeant was so big. "Who's going to pay for this?"

"You, of course." Hogan shrugged. "We didn't ask to be out of the Stalag today, with this weather or skip two meals so far. We're hungry. Hungry prisoners, are angry prisoners and-"

"All right! Just eat and get out of here!"

"With all that snow, not bloody likely," Newkirk snorted.

"What did you say?" Klink turned to the Englishman.

"He's just pointed out the fact that the road is very dangerous at this hour. It's almost night and the visibility is almost nonexistent." Hogan turned to Langenscheidt. "Just ask your corporal here, he was driving."

"It's true, Kommandant, I-"

"Enough!" Klink sighed. "We'll talk about this later. Dismissed." He returned to Burkhalter to get his own reprimand.

Carter was about to make another remark when the conversation at the Afrika Corps colonel's table caught his attention. The colonel was having some argument with the waitress and she looked very nervous. As she passed their table, LeBeau stopped her. "Something wrong, Mademoiselle?"

"Well, we're having trouble with the stove and there is little of the menu that we can offer at the moment. The colonel is a little upset because we have run out of croissants."

"Hey, maybe you could help," Carter said to LeBeau. Then, he went back to the waitress. "He is a great cook, you know?"

"I don't think I want to help that collaborateur," he shrugged.

"Not even for a pretty lady?" Newkirk elbowed him.

Kinch shook his head. "Where's the chevalier?"

The young woman frowned at them. "Etienne is not a collaborateur. He's a good man and I don't want help from anyone who thinks differently."

LeBeau took a deep breath. He would not step back from his judgment of that man, but he did not want to cause trouble for anyone else. There was a lady in distress and he was gentleman enough to help her out. "I'm sorry. I won't say anything else about that man. What can I do for you?" He smiled to the waitress.

"Call me Liesel." She smiled too.

"May I, Colonel?"

"Fine with me," Hogan looked at Schultz.

"Since we're stuck in this place, I think that makes it okay," the German sergeant said. "We should've turned somewhere else."

0)()(0

"_Stop it! Just stop it!_" The captain hit the bar with his fist and pointed at the woman that was about to cry again. "_Enough, I say!_"

Newkirk was staring at them again, getting more upset every time. Hogan raised his eyebrows to get Carter's attention; he did not need much effort to make the young sergeant understand what he wanted without words.

"Hey, Newkirk," Carter said. "How many jugglers does it take to change a light bulb?"

Newkirk frowned. "What?"

"Only one, but it takes three bulbs."

Kinch laughed. Hogan did too, although his eyes were on the Englishman all the time.

"_One more word and you'll get it, you hear me? I'm done with you!_"

"_Konrad, please. You've got to believe me_-"

"_I won't listen to your lies anymore, Margit. It's over! I know exactly what you have been trying to do. You must think I'm the dumbest man in the world... _"

Hogan leaned over the table to whisper. "Newkirk, let it go."

"I can't. That bloody jerk! Aren't you listening to what he says?"

"He sounds like a very violent man." Sitting between Hogan and Newkirk, Carter could not help taking part in the conversation. "We should let him alone."

"It's an officer. That'd only bring us trouble," Kinch said.

They heard the man getting up. "_That's it, you're asking for it!"_

Newkirk sprung off his chair. "Lady, is this gentleman bothering you?"

She stared at him for a second and then, she shook her head. "I'm all right, thank you," she whispered.

"You stay away from this, British garbage." The captain turned back to the woman. "You see what you do with all your drama? Now you're getting attention from a damn British bastard!" He lifted his hand in a threatening way and she stepped back.

"Excuse me, sir, but I still don't think that's the way to treat a lady." Newkirk kept a neutral tone.

"Newkirk, stay out of it," Hogan said through his teeth.

"Listen to your superiors, boy. Maybe you should've stayed in England." The captain looked at him and laughed. "I just came from London a week ago, or what is left of it. Bloody cowards, running underground while the city burned."

Carter grabbed Newkirk's arm just to bring him back to his senses. "It's not worth it."

"You should learn your place, Englander. Nosy bastards, that's why we'll have to crush you until you understand where your place is."

"Bloody wanker!" Newkirk jumped forward but Hogan was ready to stop him.

"If you touch him, we'll all suffer for this!" He pulled him back.

Newkirk obeyed at once. But the moment he turned to Hogan, the captain grabbed his shoulder. Newkirk turned around and received a punch on the nose that sent him backwards. Hogan crouched and held him on the floor.

"Don't move or I'll make sure it'll be your last for a long time." He turned to his men, already on their feet. "Stay where you are, all of you! This ends here." He pulled Newkirk back to his feet and pushed him with the rest of his group. He would have liked to do some damage control before anyone else noticed the incident but it was too late.

LeBeau was coming from the kitchen, still holding an iron spatula in his hand. Etienne came right after him. The Afrika Corps colonel was attentively watching, as well as the white-haired lady, still knitting. Even the stranger in the blue raincoat followed the incident from a distance.

General Burkhalter got up, impassive as always."Colonel Klink! Control your prisoners!"

"Hogan, you're going to be punished for this." Klink looked for Schultz. "Where's your gun, Sergeant?"

"It's not fair. That man hit Newkirk!" LeBeau stepped forward.

Carter was pale with rage. "Colonel?"

"Everybody, cool off." Hogan turned to the captain. "I offer you my apologies."

"I hold you responsible for your men's behavior." The captain walked towards Newkirk. The Englishman was still trying to control his breathing while wiping blood off his nose. "Who is in charge of these prisoners? Shall I punish this man's insolence myself?"

"Enough drama, Captain Köperschaft," said General Burkhalter. He had stood up but did not move from his table. "Colonel Klink is perfectly capable of putting order here," he turned to Klink and smirked. "Aren't you?"

"Absolutely," Klink said. He was visibly embarrassed and silently vowing revenge as soon as they got to the Stalag. He turned briefly toward Newkirk. "Corporal! You're going straight to the cooler and stay there until the next war!"

"Colonel Hogan, your man must apologize immediately," Burkhalter said.

Hogan tightened his jaw. The final humiliation. He would rather be shot in the guts than impose his rank on his men for something out of their control. But this was not a good place to quote the Geneva Convention and talk them out of the problem. He turned to Newkirk. "Apologize, Newkirk," he said in a low voice.

The Englishman stared at him with wide eyes. He shook his head slightly. "What?"

"But, Colonel, he didn't-" Carter began to talk but Kinch grabbed his arm to stop him.

LeBeau winced in disgust. He had never seen this side of Hogan before. He too wanted to protest. Kinch had to step forward in a quiet way to calm down his friends. He came closer to lay one hand on Newkirk's shoulder. "Go ahead, Peter. Be the best man," he whispered.

Newkirk shuddered with anger, his hands clenched into fists. After taking a moment to regain control, he managed to soften his features and bow slightly. "I'm deeply sorry, Captain. It was all my fault."

Hogan held his breath when the German grinned with satisfaction. Just one wrong word and the war would be decided in that little inn.

"Apologies accepted," the captain said, picking up his coat and hat. "It's not your fault that you were born among savages."

Newkirk bit his inner cheek but kept a poker face. He did not move until the captain left the place to go upstairs with his wife. Hogan got closer and clapped Newkirk on the shoulder. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"You didn't do anything, sir."

That response sounded more like a reproach to Hogan, but he accepted it all the same. Either way, Newkirk was right. He had thrown one of his men, a close friend, to the lions. Nothing anyone could say to make him feel better about that.

They sat at the table again and no one spoke for a long time. Carter, LeBeau and Kinch exchanged glances while Newkirk and Hogan just stared at the table. Finally, Kinch chuckled.

"I was wondering how long it would take us to start a bar fight." He looked at his friends. "This must be the quickest ever."

LeBeau and Carter contained their laughs until Newkirk snorted and wiped the blood off his nose with a napkin. The Englishman looked at his friends and shook his head.

"Three light bulbs, Carter? Honestly," he said with a smile.

Hogan and Newkirk looked at each other and made peace with their eyes.

"It's a weird evening, indeed," Kinch said. He looked at Newkirk staring absently at his cup of coffee. "How are you doing?"

Newkirk smirked. "Nothing broken. I'll be fine when we get out of here."

"Yeah, I'm more than ready to leave," Carter said.

"I don't know, I'm beginning to like this place," LeBeau sighed.

"You fancy that waitress bird?" Newkirk snorted painfully.

"That will be something," Kinch said. "Newkirk starts a brawl and LeBeau falls in love."

LeBeau rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I'm not in love, the mademoiselle is very nice. We had an interesting conversation while we cooked."

"Only you can cook and flirt at the same time, Louis," Hogan said.

"Well, if you ask me, we should be out of here right now. I smell trouble." Carter said, looking around.

"What do you mean?" Asked Newkirk.

"I don't know, there's something about these people that doesn't seem right."

Hogan nodded quietly. "Certainly, the evening had a bumpy start." He looked at Newkirk and grinned. "No pun intended."

"Jolly funny, sir." Newkirk sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Let's go back to camp. I'm getting a headache."

"Gladly," said Hogan. "Just let me tell Klink to pay the bill and off we'll go."

Hogan was about to get up at the same moment that Etienne hung the telephone. "The lines have just died. The authorities were telling me that the roads are closed for the night because of the blizzard," he announced. A rumor of complaints spread around.

"Are we cut off?" Carter exhaled worriedly. "Here? In the middle of nowhere?"

"Just my luck, I'm stuck with you in this place, Klink." Burkhalter rolled his eyes impatiently. Carter saw him turn around and fix his eyes on the white-haired lady. She smiled lightly at him, but he did not respond.

Klink was also uncomfortable with the idea of spending the night with the general. He waved at the innkeeper and smiled. "Would you have rooms available?"

Etienne shrugged. "I always have six ready during the winter."

"Five, Captain Köperschaft and his wife are in room number one," Liesel said. Etienne checked on his book and nodded.

"The general will occupy one too," Klink said, raising his hand.

"And Generalmajor Senf?" Etienne asked the Afrika Corps officer. The man nodded.

"Only three rooms left," Carter whispered to Kinch.

"I'm going to need a room too," the white-haired lady said from her table. Her voice was like a whisper and Carter would swear that she was avoiding Burkhalter's eyes.

"There are only two more rooms available," Etienne said looking at the stranger in the blue duster. "The gentleman over there, are you going to need a room too?"

The man looked uncomfortable with all the stares on him. "Of course, but I don't share with POW."

"We'll take the one that's left, then," Hogan said.

"Nice try," Klink smiled to see the general's approval. "I'll need a room too. You all will sleep in the truck."

"Certainly, and by tomorrow morning you'll have five very frozen prisoners." Hogan stood up. "We're going to need at least one room."

"How big are your rooms, exactly? There are five of us here," Newkirk said with a smile.

"Seven, don't forget Langenscheidt and Schultz." Kinch shrugged.

"Well, under the circumstances," Etienne said to the stranger, "could you reconsider? There's a blizzard-"

The man put a roll of bills on the table and narrowed his eyes. "One room, single, bitte."

Etienne picked up the money. "Gentlemen, there is only one room left."

"It seems that you're coming with us, Colonel Klink," Hogan grinned mischievously.

Klink stared at the group of prisoners and turned to Burkhalter. The general knew exactly what he was thinking. A kommandant should keep his distance from his subordinates. It would not look well if he had to share a room with the prisoners.

The general rolled his eyes and exhaled deeply. "All right, Klink, you may come with me."

"That makes seven for a room of four." Carter kept count with his fingers.

"Er. Sorry, but the accommodations are for three people per room, four at the most." Etienne presented the keys. The rest of the guests were already gone.

"Could someone say anything?" Hogan glared at Burkhalter and Klink. "It's been a long day and I get cranky when I'm sleepy."

"All right," the general said. "I'll share my room with Klink... and Hogan, if he doesn't mind." He sketched a fake smile.

"The bathroom is at the end of the hallway," Etienne said.

Hogan nodded resignedly. "We still have to lodge Sergeant Schultz and Corporal Langenscheidt."

"It's all right, they have to watch your men, anyway," Klink said.

"But they have to sleep too," Burkhalter said. "They will stay with the prisoners and take turns on the shifts."

"In that case, one of my men will have to come with us." Hogan turned to them, begging with his eyes. Of all the nightmares in this war, sharing a room with Klink and Burkhalter all by himself was the worst.

Kinch chuckled. "I don't think they would want me in their room, Colonel."

Hogan nodded. He turned to Newkirk still nursing his nose.

"No way in bloody hell, sir."

"Moi non plus, Colonel," LeBeau said. "I'd rather sleep in the hallway."

"All right. It's you and me, kid," Hogan patted Carter on the shoulder.

"No problem with me, sir." He smiled.

"This is going to be a very long night," Newkirk said to Carter.

tbc

* * *

><p><em>Detectives in literature:<em>

_Hercule Poirot (from several novels by Agatha Christie)_

_Auguste__ Dupin (from The Rue Morgue Murders and other stories by Edgar Allan Poe)_

_San Spade (from a The Maltese Falcon and several short stories by Dashiell Hammetts.)_

_Sherlock Holmes (from stories and novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle_

**_N/A:_**_ The story is not too long, although the chapters are kilo-metric. I hope that won't chase the readers away. ;)_

_Please, R/R. Thank you! _


	2. Journeys end in lovers' meetings

_**ACT TWO: Journeys end in lovers' meetings**_

General Burkhalter went straight to bed. He did not wait for anyone to decide who would sleep with whom. He claimed one bed for himself and there was no room for argument. Hogan had to settle for Klink as his bedfellow, leaving an armchair to Carter.

"I'm just a sergeant, I get it," he shrugged as he crawled into the chair. Hogan envied him, though. Having to share the bed with Colonel Klink was far from his idea of a good night's sleep.

After an hour of listening to General Burkhalter's snoring, Carter's sleep was gone. The latest groan was so loud that it made Carter jump. "What was that? Sounded like a door, didn't it?" He sat up and whispered to Hogan. "Are you sleeping yet, sir?"

"Was. What is it, Carter?"

"That captain downstairs, he was really mad, wasn't he?"

"He was drunk..."

"Well, yeah, but the way he took it out on Newkirk... He doesn't like Englishmen very much, that's for sure."

"That's common practice around here, I guess."

"Yeah, as if he was asking for a good fight. Schultz and Langenscheidt say that-"

"Good night, Andrew..."

"You think Newkirk is okay?"

"He is, Carter, go to sleep..."

"Sorry, sir, but I'm not sleepy. Do you mind if I turn on the light to read for a while?"

"I wouldn't but our two roommates here might say something about that," Hogan was falling asleep as he talked.

"I can go out and read in the hallway," Carter stood up. "It's that okay with you, sir?" He waited but there was no answer. "Sir?" he came closer. Hogan grunted. "I said that I could go out to read in the hallway."

"'kay... don't disturb Langensch-" Hogan dragged the words and succumbed to exhaustion.

0)()(0

Kinch felt Newkirk tossing and turning but he did not say anything until the corporal sat up.

"Are you okay?"

"Can't sleep."

"Does your nose hurt?"

"I'm not sleepy." Newkirk put on his boots.

"Where are you going?" Kinch propped himself up on his elbows.

"Outside for a smoke."

"I'll go with you," he said, shoving the blankets away.

"No need, mate. I'll be right back."

Kinch only heard him walk to the door and close it behind him.

0)()(0

LeBeau slept for a while and then, he woke up. The blizzard shook the curtains and wet his blankets. He was tired of pretending to be asleep and got up to lock the windows. Outside, the trees hit their leafless branches against the glass. Although it was dark, he could see two silhouettes under the dim light of the porch. "There's no bad weather for love," he said.

"What?" Kinch mumbled. This was the second time that someone had interrupted his sleep.

"Nothing," LeBeau sighed. "There's a couple out there. Kissing, just out of reach of the light of the street lamp." He squinted to get a better look. "Kinch?"

"Mmm?"

"Is Newkirk with you?"

"No, he went to smoke outside..." Kinch was almost asleep again when a disturbing thought dispelled the last of his fatigue. He looked at his watch and frowned. "He's been gone for over an hour."

LeBeau sat on the bed and leaned against Schultz's back. The sergeant took over 2/3 of the bed and it was impossible to push him over. "Well, I don't like gossiping but I think it's Newkirk out there, kissing that girl."

"Kissing a girl?" Kinch tried not to raise his voice but with little success. "What girl?"

Schultz turned around and almost rolled over LeBeau. "Was ist loss? Who is kissing a girl?"

"Don't get upset, Schultz but I think I saw Newkirk outside with a girl."

The sergeant sat up and began to look for his boots. "What's Newkirk doing outside? He's not supposed to be outside! Where is Langenscheidt? Why didn't he wake me up for my turn?"

"Take it easy, man. Where could Newkirk go in this blizzard anyway?" Kinch said. He and LeBeau looked as Schultz got up, reached for his rifle and ran out of the room. They exchanged glances and followed him.

They found Langenscheidt sitting on the floor, playing with a piece of blue yarn. At the sight of Schultz, he sprung up and saluted. He was already giving explanations before the German sergeant started asking questions. Schultz shushed him. "We don't need the big shot and the huge shot in that room to wake up," Schultz said without stopping to salute.

Hogan had been struggling to sleep between Burkhalter's snoring and Klink's moaning. He turned to the armchair and for a moment, he thought Carter was there. Then, he remembered something that his man had said about going outside to read. _Did I give him permission? _Hogan did not remember. He jumped out of bed. He put his boots on, careful not to wake up his roommates.

He went outside to find an already big group of people who should not be wandering around. He startled Schultz by patting his shoulder. "Are you too looking for Carter?"

"Carter is missing too?" LeBeau said aloud.

"Shh!" Schultz insisted. "There's no need to alarm anyone. They must be here nearby."

"Who else is missing? Where is Newkirk?" Hogan looked around. Before he could have an answer, the lights went out.

Strong noises of things being broken came from downstairs.

"Sounds like a brawl" Kinch said.

"It's coming from le café," LeBeau said

"Colonel?" Kinch asked.

"Maybe we should go and see-"Hogan broke off in mid-sentence as a woman screamed.

Schultz turned to Hogan and made way for him to go first. "I have you covered," he said, lifting this rifle up to his chest. His hands shook and Hogan was just grateful that the weapon was not loaded. The lights went back on when they were half way downstairs.

The scene they found was chaotic. A table and the chairs were scattered into pieces all over the place. The floor was wet with the water of broken flower vases. But the most shocking thing were the two bodies.

The group was frozen on the stairs. Hogan looked at the captain, who was lying face up, staring at the ceiling. Under him, blood flowed to mix with the water from the vases. The man was not breathing. The innkeeper and the waitress were at the other side of the room, comforting the captain's wife.

A few feet from him, there was Newkirk, prone on the floor. There were no visible wounds or blood whatsoever, but the corporal did not move.

"Newkirk!" Carter screamed from behind the group on the stairs. Hogan turned around to calm everybody down before coming to Newkirk's side.

"He was out of control! I had to stop him somehow!" Etienne said, still holding a candlestick in his left hand.

Carter slid between Kinch and LeBeau. He waited in silence for Hogan to check Newkirk for injuries. Hogan nodded and Carter helped him to turn him over. Newkirk had a deep cut over his left eyebrow that was bleeding profusely. But his breathing was steady and calm. Hogan handed his handkerchief to Carter. "Press it firmly against the wound." Hogan got up and went to examine the captain.

Carter obeyed. He did not turn to his friends. He knew that LeBeau must be at the other side of the room, keeping himself away from the sight of blood. Kinch would have to be with him, making sure the Frenchman did not pass out. Carter's concern was with Newkirk, who remained unconscious.

Hogan felt Schultz behind him, while he checked on the captain. He turned to the sergeant and shook his head.

"Oh, mein Gott!" Schultz covered his mouth with one hand.

LeBeau gathered courage to look at the scene. "What's that?" he said, pointing at one object near Hogan's boot.

The colonel picked up a knife and sighed. Carter turned to see it too and gasped. "Newkirk's knife!"

Hogan would have liked to prevent his man from saying that aloud, but it was too late. Klink and Burkhalter were coming downstairs as they spoke.

"What is that about Corporal Newkirk possessing a knife?" The general said. "Colonel Klink, is this a new policy, for the prisoners to be armed?"

"Of course not, General," Klink chuckled nervously. "No prisoner in Stalag Thirteen is armed at all." He turned and both officers dropped their jaws.

Kinch and LeBeau were in one corner of the room, with the two women and the innkeeper. Carter held Newkirk's head in his lap, while Hogan was kneeling in front of the captain's body. Schultz and Langenscheidt watched from another corner.

General Burkhalter spoke first, asking the only question that Hogan could not answer. "What's going on here?" He pushed Klink forward.

"Colonel Hogan," Klink stammered. "What is your explanation for this?"

"Sir," Hogan said, getting up. "I don't have any idea. The captain is dead, that's all that I know."

"Is that a knife in your hand?" Burkhalter stepped back. "Klink! This prisoner has a weapon!"

"Hey, wait a minute-" Hogan started an explanation but he was interrupted immediately.

"Sergeant Schultz!" Klink jumped. "Take that knife! Langenscheidt, bring the chains!"

"But, Commandant," Carter said without moving from Newkirk's side, "Colonel Hogan hasn't done anything!"

"Oh, and you're going to tell us that he has been with you all the time." Burkhalter grinned.

"Ah- Well... I-"

"The Englishman came in and killed the captain!" Etienne stepped forward. "I had to stop him and-"

The women interrupted with their yelling and crying. No one could understand what they were saying but it was clear that they were supporting Etienne's testimony. Burkhalter shut them up with a movement of his hand.

"General, sir," Kinch said in the politest tone he could manage at that moment. "We were all upstairs. Schultz can testify to that, he was with us too."

Burkhalter turned to the German sergeant, who shrugged shyly. "Sergeant Schultz, can you tell us what's going on here?"

"Yes, sir," he straightened up and saluted. "That man is dead-"

"We know that! We can see that!" Burkhalter yelled. "Who did it? Whose is that murder weapon?"

"Er- well, I don't know, General. The weapon was on the floor and-"

"Whose knife is it?" The general turned around with an expression that made Hogan shudder. Therefore, his next sentence was not a surprise. "No one's? Very well then," he looked at Hogan and grinned, "Sergeant Schultz, arrest this man!"

Hogan saw his men coming forward to protest. Even Carter, still sitting on the floor, raised his voice in his favor.

"We were all upstairs when we heard a woman screaming and someone fighting and-"

"I heard the scream too," said Klink. He looked at the women and the innkeeper. "Did you?"

"Which one of you screamed?"

The civilians stared at each other. A couple of seconds passed before the captain's wife stepped forward. "It was me," she said nervously. "I-I screamed when I saw my husband lying on the floor."

"Did you see what happened?" Hogan could not help asking. Immediately, the general ordered him to be quiet.

"Please, Frau Köperschaft, would you tell us what happened here?"

The woman could not stop shaking. She gasped and shook her head. "I was outside, I heard the fight... when I came in, my husband was on the floor..." She interrupted her description to weep. The innkeeper and his wife came to her side. She sobbed for a minute before going on. "I saw the knife and the blood... I panicked."

"Where was the knife?" General Burkhalter asked.

"He had it in his hand!" She pointed at Newkirk.

"B-but he is unconscious," Carter said.

"I told you already I hit him on the head with a candlestick," Etienne insisted.

"Did you see what happened?" Burkhalter turned to him.

"No," he shrugged. "I was outside, smoking and talking to Frau Köperschaft. We heard the captain arguing with someone. Frau Köperschaft entered first and then, she screamed. I was right after her."

"What did you see?"

"I saw the Englander from the back. The captain was on the floor. I saw blood and the knife... I took the candlestick from the cupboard over there and hit him from behind."

Burkhalter turned to Hogan. "Weren't all your men upstairs?"

"As far as I know, General," he shrugged. "I was sleeping. It was not up to me keep an eye on my men." He glanced at Schultz and Langenscheidt.

"Sergeant Schultz," Burkhalter walked towards him. "Were all the prisoners accounted for upstairs?"

Klink saw his man stammer as he groped for a word to say. He sighed in despair. "I'm really sure that Sergeant Schultz was alert in his post-"

"A-actually, Kommandant, I was asleep. It was Corporal Langenscheidt's turn to watch the prisoners."

Langenscheidt went a shade paler than usual. He was not a confrontational man. He just wanted to do his job and survive the war without any more difficulties. "I-I... sir... t-the prisoners were there..."

Carter kept his mouth shut as the German corporal glanced at him. He hated to see Langenscheidt so uncomfortable with the lie but that was irrelevant at the moment. Telling the truth would not clear Newkirk of suspicion.

"Oh well," Klink smiled, in a weakened attempt to disminish the impact of the situation. "He might not remember but I'm sure that all the prisoners were upstairs and-"

"Klink, I won't engage a discussion about who was where," Burkhalter said. "There has been a murder, the murder weapon is here, we have witnesses that point at this man." He glanced at Newkirk. "Who else is there to blame?"

"_Everyone's quick to blame the alien,_" a voice resounded in the stairs. Everybody turned their heads as Colonel Senf descended slowly.

"Monsieur- Oberst Senf," Etienne, the innkeeper stepped forward. "Do you need anything, sir?"

The colonel looked at the people around and then at Newkirk and the body on the floor. "Anything but what they were having will be all right." He went to sit at the bar.

Etienne signed for Liesel to go and serve the man. He turned to General Burkhalter and smiled shyly. "Herr Senf was in campaign with General Rommel; he hasn't been the same since he came back."

Burkhalter nodded. "I know his story."

Carter watched a slight shadow of sadness cross the general's face. If he had not known this man better, he would have thought that Burkhalter was showing some kind of compassion for Senf. Carter turned to Klink and saw the kommandant had a similar look on his face.

Burkhalter took a deep breath, as though waking up from a brief slumber, and went back to the problem at hand. "You know what to do, Kommandant Klink."

"I do? Of course... I suppose I do." Klink turned to Hogan, as though looking for permission or support. He realized that this was his call and sighed. "Schultz, arrest the Englander!"

"But he's wounded!" Carter could not take any more of this and stood up. "Newkirk needs a doctor!"

"Sorry, there are no doctors around. Would you settle for a nurse and a private room?" General Burkhalter said in a sarcastic tone. "When I finish with this man, he won't need a doctor, he'll need an undertaker! In war times, the law requires immediate execution."

LeBeau and Kinch came to stand next to Carter. The three men asked in silence for Hogan's intervention.

"General," Hogan said in a neutral tone, "my man is unconscious. There must be some stipulation about shooting unconscious prisoners."

Burkhalter took a deep breath. Although he had not read the legislation on that matter, shooting a man in Newkirk's condition was rather unfair. He nodded. "Very well, we'll wait until the prisoner wakes up. That will give Klink time to prepare his shooting squad."

"I-I beg your pardon?" Colonel Klink felt cold sweat forming in his forehead. "Who could I call in this weather?"

"Who else? Your men present here," Burkhalter shrugged.

Schultz felt Langenscheidt clenching his arm behind him. "Sergeant, that's us," the corporal whispered.

"Shh!" Schultz pushed him back. He and Klink exchanged glances. "B-but Kommandant-"

"Quiet, Schultz!" Klink said.

The general walked towards the civilians, who were now sitting at a table. They looked still in shock at the gruesome scene. "Monsieur-"

"Vert, Etienne Vert." The man stood up and bowed.

"We need to put the body- Captain Köperschaft somewhere."

"Oh..." Etienne hesitated for a moment. "Well, we have a cooler at the back-"

"You have a cooler here?" Carter's eyes opened wide.

"A real cooler, Andrew," Kinch said, with a smile. Carter gave a deep sigh of relief and nodded.

"That will do," the general said uncomfortably. "Now, we need some place to lock up the murderer."

"General Burkhalter," Hogan came after him. "I must protest. My man is badly injured and I won't allow-"

The general glared at Hogan. "Think very carefully what you're going to say next. As a POW, you are not in a position to forbid anything."

Hogan bit his tongue. He could not afford to lose this fight. "I'm very sorry, General. I'll choose my words better next time. But I must insist that my men should be treated accordingly to the Geneva Convention; at least for tonight."

The general smirked. He took his time to ponder on the situation before he straightened up to speak. "All right, Colonel Hogan. I'll be the better man, as you said. Keep your men out of sight and make sure Corporal Newkirk is ready for execution tomorrow at dawn."

Carter, Kinch and LeBeau stared at each other. This did not look good for them or Newkirk, but at least, they would be together.

* * *

><p>*Aeschylus<p>

_Thank you very, very much for all your reviews!_


	3. Thrice is he armed who hath his quarrel

_Thank you for your kind reviews!_

* * *

><p><em><strong>ACT THREE: <strong>__Thrice is he armed who hath his quarrel just. _

Carter helped Kinch to lay Newkirk down on the bed. He heard Schultz turning the key to lock them all up in the room they had been sharing just a few hours ago. Thanks to Hogan's intervention, they had not been chained, although the situation kept getting worse and worse. Newkirk was still unconscious, but even if he pulled through, there was still a death sentence over his head.

"Is he still unconscious?" LeBeau asked from a distant.

"The bleeding stopped," Kinch said. "You may come closer now."

LeBeau glanced at Carter and frowned. "Why did you bring this for?"

"What? Oh, this?" Carter realized he still had the candlestick in his hand. "I don't know. It's a weapon, I couldn't leave it there just like that," he shrugged and put it on the drawer. "Poor Newkirk, maybe it would be better for him not to wake up-"

"Carter!" Hogan scolded him. "It's going to be okay. We need to stay positive."

"It's not easy to stay positive when Newkirk has just a few hours to live," LeBeau said.

"Well, that means a few hours for us to work." Hogan grabbed a chair and sat at the bedside. He studied Newkirk's head wound and frowned. "It's a deep cut, isn't it?"

"It was a heavy candlestick," Kinch said. "That man hit him pretty hard."

"So it seems," Hogan rubbed his chin. "He didn't hit him with all he had though."

Carter caught Hogan's mood. He could almost hear the colonel's engines working in his head. "What are you thinking, Colonel?"

Hogan glanced at him and grinned. "Nothing yet. We need to attend to that wound before anything else."

"Perhaps we can ask for medicine or something," said Carter.

"Do you think the general would permit it?" LeBeau blew out. "He just sentenced Newkirk to death."

Carter sat on the edge of the opposite bed. His forehead wrinkled in deep thought. He looked at Newkirk, shaking his head. "I don't get it. Newkirk would not do a thing like that, would he?"

"Of course not," LeBeau said. "He wouldn't get us into so much trouble."

"Three people saw him," Kinch shrugged.

"Not exactly," Hogan paced around with his arms crossed over his chest. "They saw Newkirk and Köperschaft's body and they concluded that he killed the man."

Carter straightened up and smiled. "That's right! Something else must have happened there."

"Something that only Newkirk knows," LeBeau said. "We just need to wait till he comes to and-"

"_If_ he comes to," Kinch said, saddened of a sudden. "We still don't know how bad he has been hurt."

"Don't be so pessimistic," Carter stood up. "Newkirk will wake up soon and he'll come up with the answers we're looking for."

"Newkirk waking up will only bring us more trouble," Hogan said. "Burkhalter is right behind us, waiting just to shoot him at the moment Newkirk opens his eyes."

Carter sat down again, sighing deeply. "May I say that I want to go home now..."

The knocking at the door made them all turn around. Schultz came in quietly. "Excuse me, Colonel," he whispered, "someone is here to see you."

Hogan frowned and nodded. Liesel entered after the sergeant, carrying a tray. She smiled shyly as she put it in Kinch's hands. "It's just a few clean bandages and antiseptic. I'm sorry I couldn't come up earlier."

"The general doesn't know she's here," Schultz whispered. "As far as I am concerned, I haven't seen the lady coming in."

"Thank you, Schultz, I'll make sure that no one else knows," Hogan smiled.

Schultz hesitated before closing the door. He looked at the bed and sighed. "Is he awake yet?"

"No," Hogan did not hide his concern. "Do you want me to tell you when he-?

"No," the sergeant said in a rush. "I don't want to know."

Hogan nodded with a smile. "I understand. Thank you for everything." He closed the door and Schultz locked it from the outside.

Liesel watched as Kinch cleaned and dressed Newkirk's wound. "Somehow, I knew this was going to end like this."

Carter looked at her warily. "Did you see what happened?"

"Not everything."

Hogan offered her a chair. "What did you see?"

"Well," she said in a small voice, "I saw your man coming down... He looked a little upset and he asked Etienne for a match to light his cigaret. Then, he saw-"

"The captain? Was he there too?" Carter asked quickly.

"Calm down, Carter. This is not an interrogatory." Hogan tried to smile. "Go ahead, please."

"Frau Köperschaft-"

"Alone?" Hogan asked.

"Y-yes... She had been outside... taking some fresh air, she said. H-he, your man, went outside too. They talked for a while and then..." she lowered her eyes and shrugged. "Then, they kissed."

"They what?" Hogan stood up. "Are you sure? Etienne didn't say anything about that."

Liesel tilted her head. "Etienne is very respectful, monsieur. He would never betray a lady."

LeBeau stood up, playing nervously with his beret. "Colonel, I think I saw him too."

"How come I didn't know about this before? Newkirk went outside to make out with some German captain's wife?"

" I couldn't sleep... I saw him through the window... I think it was him with a lady." LeBeau looked pensive for a moment. "I wasn't sure it was him but, for what Liesel says, I think it could have been Newkirk."

Hogan silenced him with a wave of his hand. He pinched the bridge of his nose with two fingers and took a deep breath. "Miss-"

"Liesel," she said with a smile.

"What else can you tell me? What happened after they... kissed?"

"I don't know. I went to the kitchen and didn't come out until- Well, you know," she shrugged. "I heard loud noises; chairs being broken... glasses crashing on the floor. I heard voices, but couldn't understand what they were saying... and then, Madame screamed..."

"Who else was in the bar, besides Newkirk, Frau Köperschaft and the captain?"

"I don't know... Etienne?"

Carter looked at the colonel submerged in deep thought. He was going to ask him what he was thinking about when someone knocked on the door again. Schultz did not come in. "Sorry, Colonel but the lady must come out now."

Liesel nodded. She turned from the door to look at Hogan. "Colonel, that captain was bad, really bad. Your man did all of us a favor. It's so sad that he has to die for it. I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful."

Carter kept quiet until the door was locked. He turned to Hogan with a desperate plea. "Colonel, we must do something! I know Newkirk; he would never kill a man in cold blood."

"Oui, mon Colonel. Something is very wrong!" LeBeau glanced at Newkirk, who was still unconscious. "We can't let them shoot him."

Kinch went for another blanket for Newkirk. He stopped for a moment and turned to Hogan. "Newkirk kissing a total stranger, do you believe that?"

Hogan touched Newkirk's hand, hoping to wake him up. Nothing happened. He shook his head and rubbed his forehead. "I don't know. It wouldn't be the first time, would be?"

Carter snorted. "If I got a dime for every time that Newkirk falls for a dame..."

"But the captain's wife?" Kinch shrugged.

"I saw him," LeBeau pointed at the window. "He was down there, where everyone could see them. I couldn't believe he was so careless."

Hogan went to the window. The footprints were still visible despite the blizzard and the dim light. Suddenly, Hogan felt the urge to go outside and see by himself. He headed for the door. "Kinch, LeBeau, watch over Newkirk. If he wakes up, don't let them know." He turned to Carter. "You come with me. Just follow my lead."

0)()(0

Langenscheidt was leaning against the wall, idly contemplating the room door and imagining what must be going on in there. The recent events were keeping him quite awake as he pondered the circumstances under which he would be capable of killing a man.

"When I enlisted, I never thought I would ever shoot anybody," he said.

"What?" Schultz looked at him warily. "You are not going to shoot anybody. Don't even think about that."

"But the general-"

"General Burkhalter is just upset with the situation. Everything will be all right in the morning, you'll see." He softened his brow and gave him a fatherly smile. "It's going to be all right, Corporal. No one else has to die. I promise."

A knock on the door interrupted the moment abruptly. Despite his words of encouragement, Schultz was as anxious as Langenscheidt about the entire situation. He did not know what would actually happen once Newkirk woke up. He did not want to be the first one on receiving the news either. Schultz pushed Langenscheidt in front of him.

"Go ahead, open it," he ordered the corporal. Hogan and Carter came out before the German sergeant could stop them. As much as he feared to ask, the question was already in the air. "Is he-?"

"Not yet," Hogan said in a casual tone. "It occurred to me that this case needs an investigation and I am the only one qualified around here."

"Qualified? Investigation? What are you talking about?"

"Well, I suppose you've heard about Sam Spade," Hogan kept a poker face.

"Oh, Humphrey Bogart... The Maltese Falcon," Langenscheidt's eyes glowed with nostalgia. He looked at Schultz and cleared his throat. "Not that I've seen it. I despise American movies... pure propaganda-"

"Shut up!" Schultz turned back to Hogan. "Colonel, I don't have time for your shenanigans, the Englander is going to be shot as soon as he wakes up and I have to shoot him... I don't want to shoot the Englander! I've never shot anyone in my life! I stop for squirrels when I drive, for Goodness' sake."

"It's all right, Schultz. No one is going to shoot Newkirk." Hogan smiled. "As I was saying, Sam Spade, the real one, is my second cousin on my mother's side."

"Sam Spade is a real person?" Langenscheidt's smile faded after Schultz elbowed him.

"Colonel Hogan, please-"

"Take it easy, Schultz. I studied many cases like this with my cousin. I'm quite sure I can solve it before dawn."

"But, Colonel, I can't allow you-" Schultz hesitated on using his rifle. "You must go back to that room before General Burkhalter sees you, please."

"Come on, Schultz. You don't believe that Newkirk would kill someone just like that, do you?" Carter asked.

"The victim was Captain Köperschaft, I wouldn't be so sure," Langenscheidt shrugged.

"Shut up!" Schultz scolded him again. He turned to Hogan. "He's right, the captain wasn't a nice person, you saw them fighting."

"But Newkirk barely knew him," Carter said.

"Let me do this, Sergeant Carter," Hogan told him. "Start taking notes."

"I don't have paper, or a pencil," Carter said patting his pockets. "Schultz?"

The German sergeant sighed in resignation. He looked into his pockets and produced a small notebook. Langenscheidt gave Carter a pencil.

"So," Hogan rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "putting Newkirk aside, who else do you think could want to kill Captain Köperschaft?"

Langenscheidt snorted, "Who wouldn't?" He turned to Schultz. "Wasn't there an incident at your hometown before the war?"

Hogan frowned. "What incident is that?"

Schultz hesitated at first. Then, he bent forward to talk in whispers. "Captain Köperschaft was a general inspector in charge of supervising operations in local factories. He put my toy factory in a black list for not complying with his standards. He put us on the verge of bankruptcy and I was one step from losing my business. I begged him for help but he just made fun of me."

"Rumor has it that the captain wanted that factory for his weapons," Langenscheidt said. Schultz glared at him.

"What happened then?" Carter asked.

"The captain was deployed overseas, to Algiers, with the Afrika Korps," Langenscheidt said.

"The case was dropped for lack of interest, thank Goodness," Schultz smiled. "We didn't hear about it anymore." He saw Carter writing something. "What's that for?" He frowned warily.

"Nothing," Carter grinned.

"Colonel, you're not listing me as a suspect, are you?"

"Oh, Schultz," Hogan said, "sooner or later, we're all suspects of something,"

"B-but it's not fair," Schultz complained. "If I'm in your list, wait till you hear Langenscheidt's story."

"Sergeant!" The corporal paled. "I didn't kill that man!"

"But you had a motive, your cousin-"

"Er, no... it's not my story, I-"

"It's all right, Corporal," Hogan said. He knew that the stammering would only get worse if he insisted. "Just tell me something. You were here when Newkirk came out of the room, weren't you?"

"Oh, yes." Langenscheidt sighed and shook his head. "He was, how do you say? In a very bad shape."

"What do you mean by that?"

Hogan glared at Carter who was writing and asking questions like a real detective. "Do you want to do this job?"

"Oh, no, sir. You're doing an excellent job..." Carter stepped back, smiling shyly. "Go, ahead, sir."

"Thank you." Hogan turned back to Langenscheidt. "So, what do you mean by that? Tell me everything."

The corporal took a purposeful breath.

"I was here, waiting for my turn to end. I was tired, I still am. It's been a long road... Well, as I said, I was here when that door opened. At first, I thought it was Sergeant Schultz. But I was startled to see Corporal Newkirk coming out. I almost asked him how he could do that if the door was locked from outside. Then, I remembered the corporal's reputation. "_What are you doing outside your room?_" I asked.

"_Do you have a light?" _He rubbed his temple, as though he had a headache. I gathered that the punch on the nose might have contributed to that, but I didn't say a word.

"_I don't smoke," _I said. "_Please, go back to your room."_

"Newkirk looked around as though he was too stressed out to focus on anything. "_Listen_," he said. "_I need a smoke now."_

"_Look, Newkirk, I know how you feel. The captain-_"

"_Don't come to tell me ruddy stories about that wanker_ (Newkirk's words, not mine.)" He took out a packet of cigarettes and put one in his mouth. "_That's water under the bridge. All I want is to smoke one of these before going to bed, all right?"_

"I tried to explain to him that I couldn't allow him to walk around without supervision but he insisted.

"_Corporal Langenscheidt,_" he told me, "_I'll go downstairs to fetch a match and I'll be back on a tick. I just need some fresh air."_

"I almost told him that we had enough fresh air around. In fact, with all the drafts, this place is freezing. But, then, I thought about it and I didn't see anything wrong with letting him go. "With the blizzard and the roads closed, where else could he go?"

Carter could not refrain from speaking his mind. "And you let him go? Just like that? What kind of guard-?"

"It's all right, Carter." Hogan pointed at the notebook and urged him to keep taking notes. "Langenschiedt, are you sure that Newkirk didn't tell you anything else?"

"I'm sure, sir. He looked frustrated but not to the point of killing anybody."

Carter caught certain uneasiness in Langenscheidt's voice. The corporal looked the other way, as though avoiding his inquisitive stare.

"So, are you going to help us?" Hogan asked both guards.

Schultz was still in shock about Langenscheidt's confession. "You shouldn't have left him alone, Corporal. This is going to be in the report and-"

"Are you going to write the report before or after shooting Newkirk?" Hogan narrowed his eyes in a way that made Schultz step back.

"C-colonel Hogan I can't-"

Carter saw the German sergeant pale. There was fear and sadness in his eyes. Maybe Colonel Hogan had done it again.

"C'mon, Schultz, Newkirk will be shot at dawn. That leaves us with just a few hours to work." Something in the colonel's voice sounded like desperation. In all his years serving under his orders, Carter had seen Hogan pull many chords to get what he wanted. But this time it looked too real. "Schultz," Hogan insisted, "you don't want to kill Newkirk, do you?"

Schultz glanced at Langenscheidt, who shook his head. "Sergeant, please. You know he didn't do it."

"All right," Schultz sighed deeply. "What do you have in mind, Colonel?"

"Just space to work. Keep Colonel Klink and the general away from us."

Schultz was still hesitant. As a guard, his only work should be to watch the prisoners, keep them locked up, wait for dawn... He shook off his gloomy thoughts. He straightened up and nodded. "They're asleep now. As long as you keep it quiet, I don't see any problems ahead. But," he made a pause, pointing at Langenscheidt, "you have to take him with you."

"Me? Why me?" Langenscheidt looked paler all of a sudden.

"Because-" Schultz realized he was raising his voice and quickly lowered it again. "Because, you're a guard in charge of these prisoners," he whispered. "They need supervision in case someone sees them."

"Oh, that's so considerate of you, Schultzie," Carter smiled. "Isn't he nice, Colonel?"

"I'll put him on my Christmas list, okay?" Hogan shrugged. " Now, the next step: We need to see the body."

0)()(0

Newkirk tossed and turned, groaning in his sleep. Kinch and LeBeau sat next to him, expecting to see him open his eyes at any moment.

"C'est très mal, très mal," LeBeau shook his head.

"We still don't know how bad it is," Kinch said calmly. "There's not much we can do until he-"

"Don't say it!" LeBeau started pacing around. "We should get Newkirk out of here before he wakes up. What is Colonel Hogan doing out there?"

"I don't know, but I trust he's working on a plan. If someone can find the way out, it's Colonel Hogan."

"The way out is through the main door before dawn."

"Take it easy, LeBeau. Running away is not going to do any good to any of us. We need to prove that Newkirk is innocent."

"But how? The murderer must be kilometers away by now."

"With this weather? I doubt it," Kinch said. "I think that the killer is still around. Maybe making sure that Newkirk gets it instead of him."

LeBeau's forehead wrinkled in thought. "Who could it be? We know everybody... Klink, the general..."

"There is a bunch of people we had never seen before." Kinch made a mental list. "The crazy colonel, the lady in the purple dress... the captain's wife."

"The women?"

"Aren't the French the ones who say _Cherchez la femme_?" Kinch chuckled.

"How about the innkeeper, Vert, Etienne Vert?"

"You say he's a collaborator."

"But who knows how those bêtes think?"

"You don't like the guy, that's all."

"Well," LeBeau shrugged, "he looks like someone who would betray his grandmother for a price. He hit Newkirk on the head!"

"And the stranger in the blue raincoat? He didn't look too friendly either."

"Etienne is the first on my list," LeBeau said, sinking on his chair.

"All right, you can share your observations with Colonel Hogan when he comes back." Kinch took a wet cloth from the table and cleaned Newkirk's face.

"How is he doing?"

Kinch shook his head. "He would do better if we had a doctor around."

Newkirk moaned and grabbed Kinch's wrist. LeBeau came closer. "Easy, mon ami. You'll be all right very soon."

Unexpectedly, Newkirk opened his eyes. He looked around before blinking. "Oh, my head!"

Kinch stopped him before he could touch his temple. "It's all right, Newkirk. Your head is going to hurt for a while, but you'll be fine."

Newkirk stared at him and then at LeBeau. He sat up and crawled back on the bed. "What is this place? Who the blazes are you?"

"Hey, Newkirk. You don't have amnesia, do you?" LeBeau smiled.

The corporal frowned. "Newkirk? What a peculiar name is that?"

0)()(0

Carter's teeth shattered. He looked around at the place and shook his head. "T-this is definitely colder than our cooler... and darker... and-"

"Carter, I don't want to interrupt your first visit to a real cooler, but we have some work here." Hogan pointed at one corner with Langenscheidt's flashlight. Captain Köperschaft's body was wrapped in a blanket and lying on the floor. Hogan gave Carter the flashlight and proceeded remove the blanket.

Carter felt a little queasy when one of the hands showed up. He clenched the flashlight and took a deep breath. He turned to look at the cans and other groceries, while his mind drifted into the events of the evening. "That Langenscheidt was very generous to lend us his flashlight."

"What?" Hogan frowned. He was too busy examining the wound to care much about the kindness of the guards.

"I mean, he looked a little anxious, didn't he? So eager to prove Newkirk's innocence-"

"He doesn't want to shoot him at dawn," Hogan said. He stared at something on the body and sat on his heels to reflect about it. "Odd."

"What is it?"

"Well, come closer with that light." He pointed at the wound on the chest. "That was made with a knife, right?"

"Right," Carter said warily. His eyes opened wide when Hogan lit some red marks around the captain's neck. "Wow! Where did those come from?"

"I think they were there all the time. We didn't see them before because the captain was face down." He touched the marks. "They look like they were made with a rope or something like that, something blue," he said, looking at the stains in his fingertips.

Carter rubbed his arms. He felt the cold growing inside and crawling down his spine. "What are you saying? He was first stabbed and then strangled?"

"The other way around, strangled and then stabbed." Hogan stood up and rubbed his hands. "It might prove that Newkirk didn't do it."

"But the fight... the place was trashed, and Newkirk's knife..."

"Too many clues, don't you think? That looked like a setup."

"Really?" Carter stared at Hogan with hopeful eyes. "What do we do now? Tell Burkhalter?"

"Not really. Burkhalter won't believe us just like that. We need to establish the facts," Hogan said. "What do we have so far, Carter?"

"Let's see," Carter took his little notebook and lit it with the flashlight. "Newkirk was hit on the head with a candlestick in the restaurant, and Captain Köperschaft was murdered in the same place with a knife... or a rope." He scratched his head under his hat. "Why would someone want to kill a person twice? To make sure they stay dead?" Carter's heart beat fast. "It's not like I believe that Newkirk would be capable of something like that. But, you never know... he was so mad at that man-"

"I know, Carter. That thought crossed my mind too. That's why I needed to see this."

"So, we tell the others?"

"Carter, this is just a tiny thing. They have Newkirk's knife as the murder weapon. We need the rope and the owner of that rope."

"Are you saying that there is a murderer among us?"

"Don't panic, Carter, but everybody around is a suspect."

"Except for us, right?"

Hogan sighed deeply. "Newkirk is still suspect number one. We can't rule him out just yet."

"But when he wakes up, he will tell us what happened. He might know who the killer is."

"That will make him an easy target," Hogan said in a reflective mood. "We'll need to keep our eyes open and our mouths shut until we find our man."

Both men looked at each other and then, at the door. Somewhere in that place, there was a murderer, and it was up to them to find them before dawn.

tbc


	4. This case deserves to be a classic

_Thank you again for all your reviews. I see that you really love a mystery. _

* * *

><p><em><strong>ACT FOUR: This case deserves to be a classic<strong>_

Kinch looked at LeBeau playing with his beret in frustration. The Frenchman turned to him and shook his head. Then, he came to sit next to him on the edge of the bed.

"He's been there for almost ten minutes, go talk to him."

Kinch shrugged painfully. "I don't think he'd even listen to us, Louie."

"Shouldn't he be in bed, then?" LeBeau pointed at Newkirk, by the window. The Englishman looked deeply mesmerized by the wrinkles on the curtain. "Look at him, he looks..."

"Crazy?" Kinch chuckled. "It's the concussion; he must have a fever, too. But you're right," he stood up. "He should stay in bed." He walked to Newkirk and tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, Newkirk-"

The Englishman turned and smiled. "My dear friend, you keep calling me such colorful names."

"But that's your name," LeBeau came closer, "Newkirk, Peter Newkirk."

"I must say that the name is familiar but I assure you that I never heard of him. Is he from the Newkirks of Suffolk, or Yorkshire, perhaps?" He saw Kinch and LeBeau exchange glances and he laughed. "Why, my friends, do not be so startled, I am just playing with you."

LeBeau looked at him with hopeful eyes. "Really? Are you all right?"

"Why, of course," Newkirk laid one hand on each of his friends' shoulders. "I recognized you both from the very first moment I saw you, but I could not resist."

"So, you know who we are?" Kinch asked.

"Certainly, my dearest friends. Auguste Dupin," he said to Kinch. He turned to LeBeau and nodded. "And you are the great Hercules Poirot. I must confess that I believed you to be taller, not offense intended."

"Oh, mon Dieu," LeBeau tapped his forehead in disbelief.

Kinch raised his eyebrows, hesitating before he asked the next question. "And you, sir, could you tell us your name?"

"What a peculiar game we are playing here, mes amis?" He straightened up and bowed. "Holmes, Sherlock Holmes."

"Kinch," LeBeau pulled the sergeant's sleeve. "Say something."

"Newk-, Mr Holmes, why don't you take a seat. You had a little accident and-"

Newkirk moved away before Kinch could grab his arm. He kept looking around, as though studying the place for the first time. "I was hit on my left temple with a heavy object, a couple of pounds I gather. Maybe a lead pipe..." He stopped in front of the mirror to examine his wound. "A wrench? No. A candlestick."

"How does he know that?" LeBeau asked Kinch.

"Elemental, my dear Poirot," Newkirk answered, "the wound has been well treated and dressed and does not show signs of having been exposed to the elements for long. That means that you found me nearby. There is a blizzard outside but my body is not showing any consequences from cold or water, which means that I was attacked indoors. The place is neatly kept. One would hardly find a lead pipe around, same goes for a wrench. This leaves us in front of the most likely evidence." He picked up a candlestick from the center table. "Two pound object, with round edges. Perfect for a surprise lateral attack." He scratched the base and smiled. "Dried blood. Probably mine? My nose hurts too, but that I think, was a non related incident."

Kinch almost laughed when he turned to LeBeau, open-mouthed next to him. "You're good, Newk- Mr Holmes. But I still think you should lie down for a while."

Newkirk felt a sudden dizziness and leaned on the table. "I will not argue with you, Dupin..." He stretched his arm waiting for someone to take it. LeBeau rushed to his side. "My good friend, Poirot," he smiled faintly, "I just need some minutes and I will be fine."

Kinch and LeBeau tucked him in and sat next to the bed. "He needs a doctor," LeBeau whispered.

"If only Watson were here..." Newkirk mumbled, laying one arm over his eyes. "He always knows what to do..."

"He needs a psychiatrist," Kinch said, shaking his head. "LeBeau, you have to go and get Colonel Hogan."

0)()(0

Schultz reached the end of the hallway and was about to start his way back when he saw LeBeau coming out of the room. The sergeant's heart beat fast as he thought of Newkirk. He walked slowly with his rifle in both hands. "Halt, Frenchman." He stared at him warily. "He is awake, the Englander?"

LeBeau smiled shyly and nodded. "Yes and no, he's a little sick."

"Sick? Does he need a doctor?"

"We'd prefer Colonel Hogan, if you don't mind." He made an attempt to go on but Schultz stopped him.

"LeBeau, you can't leave the premises."

"Bien sûr, I won't. There's a blizzard outside." LeBeau smiled and went around the sergeant. There was no need to worry about Schultz's rifle.

"Please, obey. Someone has to, eventually."

"I'd love to, but we need Colonel Hogan." LeBeau grabbed the rifle with two fingers. "Listen, why don't you go and fetch him for me, or we can go together?"

"Oh, sure," Schultz chuckled. "Why don't we just let this door open and escort Newkirk outside-?"

"Of course you won't do that," LeBeau smirked. "You have to be here when he wakes up so you can shoot him."

Those words sank heavily in the sergeant's heart. He had been struggling with that part of his duty all night long. He stared at LeBeau for a moment before sighing deeply. "All right, you win. The colonel and Carter went that way. Langenscheidt is with them." He grabbed LeBeau by his jacket and pulled him towards him. "Listen, don't try anything funny. I'm not in the mood for funny jokes, all right?"

"Relax, Schultz, we're all on the same side, remember?" LeBeau smiled and resumed his way downstairs.

0)()(0

Carter jumped and switched feet as he waited for Hogan to close the door. He blew in his gloves and rubbed his arms but the icy air kept freezing him inside.

"Well, at least, we know something else now," Hogan said, not paying much attention to his sergeant.

"Oh, yes. Now we know that it's colder outside than inside that cooler."

Hogan glanced at him and smiled. "Are you tired? Because we haven't finished yet."

Langenscheidt walked on tiptoe towards them. He looked over his shoulder several times as though waiting for someone to follow them. "Are you done here?"

"Not yet, but you may leave anytime, Corporal," Hogan smiled mischievously.

"Colonel, please. You need to get back to the room. What if Kommandant Klink or General Burkhalter come down and see you here?"

"Is that a rhetorical question?" Carter asked. "Because the chances of that happening are quite remote."

Suddenly, they heard steps in the kitchen.

Langenscheidt clenched his rifle; he took a deep breath and turned around. "Everybody behind me."

"That's quite brave, but if they see us behind you, they might think we're attacking you, don't you think?" Hogan said patiently.

"He's right," Langenscheidt said to Carter. "Now what?"

"Hide!" Hogan whispered, crouching behind the counter.

Carter got behind the refrigerator and Langenscheidt hid in the closet. Carter held his breath as a shadow came down the stairs. He wondered who else could be wandering around at that hour. They would be in real trouble if it were Burkhalter.

_Please, let it be Liesel_, Carter thought right before a slim figure with a flashlight showed up at the end of the stairs.

"Colonel Hogan!" Carter whispered. "It's the stranger in the blue duster!"

Langenscheidt shushed him very loudly and Hogan rolled his eyes.

"Who's there?" The stranger stopped on the spot. He looked around, throwing the light over the stove and the refrigerator. "Come out! I saw you."

Langenscheidt came first with a friendly smile. "It's all right, sir, I'm a guard."

The man aimed the light over Langenscheidt's face. "Oh, yes. I saw you with the oversized sergeant."

"Yes," the corporal smiled. "Sergeant Schultz. He must be waiting for me upst-."

The man turned his flashlight to the corner where Carter was hiding. "You're not alone, Corporal."

Hogan came out, signing Carter to follow him. He shaded his eyes to have a better look at the man. He was tall, pale and blond, with a fine mustache. He wore glasses and a suit under the heavy blue trench coat. To Hogan's eyes, he was the typical German intellectual type.

"Excuse my curiosity, Corporal but, where are you taking these prisoners?"

"Who, them?" Langenscheidt laughed. "Nowhere, I just, er-"

"I needed a glass of water but the general was in the bathroom," Carter shrugged.

"I'm the senior officer. I go where my men go," Hogan said as the stranger turned to see him.

"Of course," he half smiled. He attempted to pass but Hogan stepped forward.

"And you, what are you doing here at this hour, Herr-?"

"Mac-" he hesitated. "Macstein, Lothar Macstein. I... came for water too."

"The general is still in the bathroom, eh?" Carter nodded. His smile faded when he met Hogan's glare.

"So, tell me, Herr... Macstein, what brought you to this place in a day like this?" Hogan stared at him as though he was reading the man's mind.

The stranger remained impassive. "Door to door salesman," he shrugged. "I'm always on the road. Bad weather was unexpected."

Langenscheidt looked at his watch and then, at the door. They had been gone too long. He did not want to know what would happen if Klink or Burkhalter found out that they were not in their room. He shifted on his feet and cleared his throat. "Colonel Hogan-"

"I know, I know," said Hogan. He nodded to Herr Macstein and signed for Carter to follow him.

"I don't trust that man," Carter whispered, once they were far enough.

"Me neither," said Langenscheidt.

"It's okay, guys. Let's keep this incident to ourselves." Hogan looked at the corporal and smiled. "We don't want to scare Schultz."

Schultz sighed deeply as soon as they crossed the hallway. It seemed to him that he had just begun breathing for the first time in hours. He stopped them before they entered the room.

"Did anyone see you?" He glared at Langenscheidt.

"No, we were very careful," Hogan grinned at Carter and the corporal. Both men nodded slightly.

Carter smiled. "Like real detectives."

Langenscheidt shrugged nervously. "Who could have seen us, anyway? Right?"

Hogan cleared his throat. "Anything new around here?" He looked at the door of the room. "People coming or going?"

"Only LeBeau," Schultz said. Suddenly, he looked at the party of three and opened his eyes widely. "Oh, no! Where's the cockroach? He went to look for you!"

"Shh!" Hogan looked around. "Why did he go to look for me?"

"He said," Schultz lowered his voice, "that Newkirk is awake and a little sick."

Hogan glared at Carter just before he repeated the news aloud. "Don't say a word. That goes for you two, gentlemen." Both guards nodded without discussion. "Let's go back to our room, Carter. Schultz, you'd better send Langenscheidt to look for LeBeau, before someone else finds him."

0)()(0

Kinch rubbed his forehead, as he struggled to stay awake. It had been a long night and all he could think of was a soft bed and warm blankets. Newkirk was up again and writing on the table. Kinch feared that if he called off the night, the Englishman would try to run away. The sergeant yawned loudly and Newkirk turned to see him.

"You should go to sleep now, my friend. I don't think there is much to do just yet."

"To do about what?" Kinch asked.

"Well, I was attacked and it seems to me that that was just part of something more serious. A crime of some sort, no doubt. For what else would be we gathered together? The situation calls for detective work, obviously."

"Obviously," Kinch repeated. He paced around just to stretch a bit. Then, the door opened and he could not be happier. "Colonel Hogan, so good to see you. Where's Carter?"

"Right behind me. Where's LeBeau and what's that about Newkirk being sick?" Hogan asked looking at Newkirk. "You're awake." He came closer and patted his arm. "How do you feel?"

Kinch grinned. "Go ahead, tell him how you feel."

Newkirk looked at Hogan and smiled widely. "I'm delighted at your concern and yet, you too have gotten my name wrong. I'm Holmes, Sherlock Holmes." Newkirk took Hogan's hand and shook it vigorously. "And you, my friend, don't need any introduction. You're the great Sam Spade, from the Colonies."

"Spade? From the Colonies?" Hogan raised an eyebrow and glanced at Kinch.

"He woke up like this, shortly after you left. LeBeau-"

Hogan sat down, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Newkirk, tell me that you're joking."

"You are not listening to me. I'm not that Newkirk, my name is Sh-"

"I get it!" Hogan stopped him. He looked at Newkirk, forehead wrinkled with curiosity as he paced back and forth. "How long has he been like this?"

"Since he woke up, about half an hour ago," Kinch said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Do you think it could be serious?"

Hogan shrugged. "Who knows? I don't think we could get him a doctor if we asked for one. For all Burkhalter cares, Newkirk is still on death row." He rubbed the back of his head. "Damn it, Kinch, time is running out."

Carter opened the door and entered with LeBeau. "Colonel, you won't believe what happened to Newkirk!"

"My dear Watson, the man I needed to see," Newkirk hugged him effusively. "I thought I'd lost you in the train to Sussex."

"Train to where?" Carter accepted the greetings warily. "LeBeau said that you were feeling poorly but-"

"Let's not be hasty. I am feeling much better now. However, I have got to say that I appreciate our dearest Poirot's concern." He bowed to LeBeau.

The Frenchman rolled his eyes. "He's worse than when I left."

"LeBeau! What were you doing outside? I told you to stay and take care of-" Hogan grinned."Poirot?"

"Oui, because I'm French and Kinch is Dupin," he shrugged, "je ne sais pas pour quoi."

"Actually, Poirot, you're not French, you are Belgian, remember?" Newkirk looked at him warily. "Are you all right?"

LeBeau opened his mouth outraged. "Belgian?"

"No way, are you sure?" Carter laughed.

"Gentlemen, please, one crisis at a time, remember?" Hogan turned back to Newkirk. "Have you any idea of what happened to you?"

Newkirk grinned and rubbed the bandages on his head. "I was attacked. Someone hit me on the head with a candlestick." He went to the table and grabbed the weapon. "Five feet five... no, four, and right handed. A woman, undoubtedly." He turned to Carter. "Yes, I'm sure. He is quite intense about defending that point, actually."

"A woman? Are you sure?" Hogan frowned. "Do you remember that part, then?"

"Actually, I don't," Newkirk shrugged.

"But how do you know it was a woman?" Carter asked.

"He's Sherlock Holmes," Kinch chuckled.

Newkirk smiled weakly. He went back to the table.

"This doesn't look good," Carter came to sit next to him. "You must have a hell of a concussion."

"I knew you would have the answer, Watson. I think you are completely right. Now, if you could do something for our friends here," Newkirk bent forward to speak privately. "They keep taking me for some fellow called Newkirk."

Carter looked at the others. "He doesn't speak like Newkirk."

"Colonel, what are we going to do?" LeBeau asked. "And how can he be Belgian? His name is Poirot!"

"I know, LeBeau, the world is upside down." Hogan looked around for inspiration. "I'm expecting these walls to crush down on us any time soon, aren't you?" He sighed. He took the notebook from Carter. "Let's solve this case before dawn. We have lost enough time already. We'll deal with... Mr. Holmes later."

"Excellent idea!" Newkirk said, grabbing the piece of paper that he had been using. "Pray draw up to the table, gentlemen. We must put our data together and start this case at last."

Carter shook his head. "I'm lost again. I understand the words, but together they don't make much sense."

"As I was telling Auguste-"

"Who's Auguste?" Carter looked around.

Kinch raised his hand. "That's me, Dr Watson, Auguste Dupin."

"Boy, keeping up with all those names is going to take us all night."

"We don't have all night, Carter. They're going to shoot Newkirk," LeBeau said.

"Listen, I can't promise anything but one thing," Hogan said. "No one is going to shoot Newkirk, not tomorrow, not ever."

Newkirk looked at their faces, that had hardened all at once. He kept quiet for a moment. "That fellow Newkirk is very lucky to have friends like you. Where is he? If I may ask."

"He's the best," Carter said with a smile. "And he's closer than you think".

"Is he worth saving?"

Hogan stared at Newkirk and tapped his arm. "We'd put our lives on the line for him."

Newkirk nodded. "Fair enough, then."

Carter looked at Hogan and Newkirk comparing notes. The colonel told him about the incident at the restaurant, the people involved and other details. It did not take the Englishman much time to understand the situation. Soon, they were ready to work out a plan.

"It's not going to be easy. We have a lot to cover," Hogan said.

"Do we have to talk to the usual suspects?" Kinch asked. He smiled to see everybody looking at him. "I like detective movies," he shrugged.

"Let's start with Herr Macstein, if that's his real name," Hogan took Carter's notes and read about the encounter in the kitchen.

"You think he was lying?" asked LeBeau.

"A salesman in this part of town, at this time of the year? I don't know, it looks suspicious. We have to keep an eye on him," Hogan stared at the notebook. "Who else do we have?"

"Burkhalter, Klink-" Kinch began a list.

"But they are with us," Carter frowned. "I mean... they are friendly enemies.?"

"I'm afraid that in this inquiry there cannot be friends or foes, but suspects," Newkirk tapped him on the shoulder.

"Newk- Holmes is right," Hogan agreed. "This is an inquiry; no one is safe or exempt. So, let's trace our plan of action. How many suspects do we have so far?"

"Etienne, Liesel, Frau Köperschaft," Newkirk read the list. "Colonel Klink, General Burkhalter-"

"I don't know about Klink, but the general called the captain by his name," Kinch said.

"How about Schultz?" LeBeau asked.

"Schultz told us some story," Hogan checked his name on the list. "How about Langenscheidt? He didn't seem too cooperative."

Newkirk started pacing around. "What do we know about the deceased? He's a captain..."

"He treated his wife badly," Carter said.

"He punched Newkirk on the nose," Kinch remembered.

LeBeau nodded thoughtfully. "He just came from Africa two days ago to be decorated for his brilliant campaign in Algiers..." He raised his head to see everybody staring at him. "I met Colonel Senf at the stairs. He was very talkative."

"You met the man, please do tell," Newkirk said. "From what Mr Spade has told me, Colonel Senf has just arrived from Africa too. Could it be the connection we need?" he asked himself and then, he shook his head. "I would think better with my pipe."

"What else did Senf tell you, LeBeau?" Hogan asked him.

"He said that he had been to Casablanca two weeks ago. "_Have you ever been in Casablanca?"_ He asked me. "I answered no. But he kept talking about the desert, General Rommel and Captain Köperschaft.

"_Tell me," _he said, "_do you know Captain Köperschaft?"_

"Before I could answer that, he shook his head and rubbed his eyes.

"_You must forgive my poor state, my friend. I have just come back from Algiers, where all my nightmares started." _He looked around before going on. "_One year ago this day, I was in charge of a platoon of the 2nd Panzer Battalion. Twenty brave men that obeyed my orders to the letter. Captain Köperschaft was my second in command, my right hand. We had to keep the conquered territories for our cherished Fatherland. _

"_I used to accompany my men to the incursions several times a day, sometimes for weeks. We kept the enemy in their place without much of an effort, until that night... That dreadful night where, after a very exhausting campaign, I found myself prostrated in bed. It took those bastards only one lucky shot to splinter my knee. One single bullet ended my entire career. Pity."_

"I waited for a couple of minutes but the colonel seemed to have forgotten me. His eyes were fixed on a painting on the wall. It was hard to get his attention back to me. "Colonel," I called him. "Monsieur? Êtes-vous malade?" He did not answer for another five minutes. Then, he took a deep breath.

"_That night, I could not go with my men. I was too feeble with fever and pain. My leg would not carry me anywhere. I had to trust my battalion to Captain Köperschaft... The bad dreams I had were the presage of a nightmare that will never end."_

LeBeau interrupted his story as though the memories disturbed him. "Mon Colonel, I-"

"It's all right, LeBeau." Hogan grabbed his man's forearm "You may stop if you need to. Does this have a link to the murder, anyway?"

LeBeau sighed and nodded. "Je suis desolé, but I think it has."

"Pray proceed by all means," said Newkirk.

"Très bien." LeBeau nodded. "Colonel Senf lowered his eyes while talking to me.

"_There was a storm, the fiercest storm seen in years in that part of the country. I slept little while I was waiting for Captain's Köperschaft's return. The hours ran so slowly... The pain in my leg helped to keep me awake._

"_Right before dawn, I heard voices outside. My heart beat fast, anticipating the worst, hoping for the best... No one dared to come and tell me what had just come about. Another excruciating hour passed before a messenger announced Köperschaft. I yelled for him to come in. The sight of this man made me shiver. His uniform was stained with blood from head to toe. Naturally, I asked him if he had been hurt. He said no... I have to ask him several questions before he finally told me what had happened._

"_He had entered a small town following two rebels from De Gaulle's army... Köperschaft was a good officer, but too impulsive. He acted upon the situation without giving it too much of a thought. He should have known that it was a trap. The entire town was wired up... He lost three quarters of my battalion... Thirteen men gave up their lives under Köperschaft's orders... Only seven came back._

"_I was too sick to mourn my men... I spent weeks in seclusion... When I came back, they told me how Captain Köperschaft had returned to the field, searched for the rebels and wiped off an entire town in revenge. He could have been promoted for that. But I found a bad mark in his files due to another issue during the Big War. I'm a military man. I'm a soldier. I hated what he did because he did it in my name. His actions are a disgrace on my own history. I told my superiors about his files and stopped his promotion. However, Field Marshal Wagner threw a huge party on his honor. Today, he was about to receive a decoration for courage and honor." _He was so furious that he had to gasp for air. "_They even invited me to make a speech during the ceremony! So I went. They threw me out before I could tell them my story. They didn't want to hear my side whatsoever."_

"I didn't know what to do," LeBeau finished his story. "He grabbed me by the shoulders and begged me to tell him where to find the captain. I told him that the man was dead but I don't think he really understood. I heard more people coming, so I ran back here. Sorry, I suppose the story is not that interesting after all."

"Well, my friend," Newkirk said. "You have just brought to our attention our first suspect. Colonel Senf," he read from his notes. "Had Captain Köperschaft under his orders. The captain lost a battalion but was decorated for his fierce campaign against the enemy..."

"What did Senf said about a bad mark in Köperschaft's files?" Hogan asked LeBeau.

"Je ne sais pas," he shrugged. "But it was something big because he didn't get a promotion."

"Wouldn't it be great if he was the murderer? The night is getting shorter," Kinch looked at his watch.

"A mystery, just like in my book," Carter smiled. "Colonel Senf did it with a rope."

"A rope?" Kinch frowned.

"Oh, yes, besides the wound in his chest, the captain has prominent marks on his neck," Hogan said.

"That is highly interesting." Newkirk straightened up and rubbed the back of his neck. "But we still need more information. So far, the best witness is still that friend of yours, Newkirk? He must have seen something. Where is he?"

Hogan looked at the others and shook his head. "I'm afraid he's not available at the moment."

"Yeah, he's not himself," Carter nodded.

"Never mind, then. We'll help him without his assistance," Newkirk sighed.

Hogan gave his men a reassuring look. "All right, guys. We can't stay here all night, we need to do some field work. Kinch, you take our guards. I've got the feeling there is more than we have heard so far."

Kinch and LeBeau were almost at the door when Carter turned to Hogan. "Colonel," he said. "What are we going to do with Newk- him?"

"He should rest. Head injuries are very tricky," Kinch said.

"But who will take care of him? We need to go out and find the real killer." LeBeau looked at Newkirk, writing down something.

Hogan sighed. "We'll take him with us. We'll play along for a while, okay?" He led the way but some noise outside stopped them.

0)()(0

Langenscheidt rubbed his hands and arms. He paced from one side to the other. "Cold night," he said.

"The coldest in years," Schultz agreed.

"It looks like that they're going to stay in there for good," Langenscheidt pointed at the door in front of them."

"That's the most clever thing they could do. At least, we don't have to go patrol outside." They heard a door at the other side of the hallway. It was colonel Klink coming out. "Did I speak too soon?"

He walked slowly towards them. Schultz could clearly see that something was bothering the kommandant.

"Report!" Klink yelled.

Both guards straightened up and saluted.

"Ten minutes to midnight and all is well, sir!" Schultz talked strongly but without yelling. "The colonel can't sleep?"

"Of course I can sleep, why shouldn't I," Klink shrugged nervously. "Er- Do you...Do you have everything ready for tomorrow morning?"

Schultz heaved. "I don't think I could be prepared for something like that, sir," he whispered. He would have said something else but the door in front of him began to open slowly. He looked at Hogan behind Klink, signing for him to keep talking while they sneaked out of the room.

Klink caught both guards' eyes wide open. "Are you all right?" He almost turned around when Langenscheidt gasped. "Corporal, do you have anything to say?"

"K-Kommandant, I-" he paled looking at Hogan pushing his men one by one. When Newkirk came out too, he almost fainted.

Klink stepped in front of him. "Langenscheidt, are you all right?"

"Yes!" Schultz shouted. "He is very excited, Kommandant. This is his first execution."

Langenscheidt could not talk. He barely remembered how to breathe, and it took him several seconds to produce a nod.

"Excited?" Klink was amazed. Of all the feelings going through his head, excitement was not included. He had always found the idea of shooting a man as a punishment repulsive. "I underestimated you, Corporal."

"Certainly," Schultz faked a smile. "We're both really excited about carrying out the general's orders."

"Really?" Klink frowned. He had been feeling sick with the entire situation. "I must admit that I'm not looking forward to doing this. You must be tougher soldiers than I am. Oh, well," he exhaled. "I'll try to sleep some before dawn, I guess."

"The general took the best bed?" Schultz asked condescendingly.

"No, he's not in the room. He didn't come back after we put the bod-" Klink swallowed and lowered his voice, "the you know what in you know where."

Schultz and Langenscheidt exchanged glances. They kept smiling stupidly at their kommandant as he walked back to his room. "Ach du liebe! Langenscheidt, Colonel Hogan is out there!"

"And General Burkhalter! If he sees Corporal Newkirk-"

"We'd all be in big trouble," Schultz picked up his rifle and helmet. "You stay here. Pretend that the prisoners are still in there. I'll get them back immediately."

Langenscheidt straightened up as the sergeant went downstairs. He was so concerned that he did not notice that the door in front of him was opening again.

tbc


	5. We are spies in an enemy's country

_**ACT FIVE: **__We are spies in an enemy's country_

Langenscheidt prepared his rifle for whoever was coming out of that room. He was startled enough to shoot on sight or run and hide. Although he wanted to close his eyes, he kept staring at the door. He jumped at the same time that someone appeared.

"Langenscheidt!"

"Eh? Sargent Kinchloe! What are you doing there?" He put his rifle aside.

"What? I'm a POW, remember? Where else should I be?" Kinch assumed a relaxed position. "Where is Schultz?"

"He's looking for Colonel Hogan and-" Langenscheidt stopped. "Hey, you tell me what's going on. Why is the colonel out there? Newkirk woke up already! Are they trying to escape?"

"Of course not. Who would want to escape in this miserable weather?" Kinch smiled. "We're trying to solve this crime so we all can go back to camp, all right?"

"Solving the crime? What are you talking about? Sergeant, you are prisoners of war, not detectives!" Langenscheidt glanced at the stairs nervously.

"What is it? Did you hear anything?"

"Sergeant Kinchloe, you have no idea of the trouble Colonel Hogan and the others are in."

"One of ours has been accused of murdering a German captain. You are going to shoot him in the morning. Langenscheidt, we are all in deep trouble. It would be nice if someone could tell us more than what we know so far." He looked at Langenscheidt who was getting uncomfortable. "Tell me, Corporal. Is there anything that you can tell us to help Newkirk? You don't want to shoot him at dawn, do you?"

"Of course not, but I don't think I could help him at all," he shrugged sadly. "In fact, I think I just made things worse already."

Kinch came closer. He looked seriously at the corporal. "What did you do, Corporal?"

Langenscheidt lowered his eyes and exhaled deeply. "Sergeant, maybe we shouldn't talk about this anymore. I mean, you are trying to prove his innocence and I... well, I talked to him before it happened."

"You talked to Newkirk before he went downstairs. We know."

"No, you don't know everything," he said. "This is between you and me, all right?"

"I won't lie to you. If it's about Newkirk, I might have to tell the colonel." Kinch gave him a reassuring look. "Listen, I think that we are in the same boat now. We have to cooperate we what we have at hand, don't you think?"

Langenscheidt shook his head. "What if what we have at hand could cause more harm than good? I don't want to hurt Newkirk more than he is right now."

"Langenscheidt, you and Schultz have orders to shoot him tomorrow. How much more do you think you could hurt him?"

"All right," he sighed. "You're right, I guess... I saw Newkirk early this evening, when he came out of the room. After he told me he was looking for a match for his cigarette, I asked him how he was doing. He tried to go on walking but I stopped him.

"Listen," I said. "I know exactly how you feel." He snorted. What would I know about how he felt? A German officer who insulted his country, his uniform and everything else had punched him on the nose. But I wasn't being condescending. "I met Captain Köperschaft when I was still a cadet. He used to humiliate me and my comrades for the smallest things. He made our months at the academy a real hell. Newkirk didn't say anything. I kept talking about how bad Captain Köperschaft was and-"

"And?" Kinch asked.

Langenscheidt shook his head. "Maybe I shouldn't have talked to him about my cousin."

"Why? What happened to your cousin?"

"He went to Algiers-"

"Was he with Colonel Senf?" Kinch saw the corporal staring at him in surprise. He smiled. "LeBeau talked with Senf. We know about the massacre. I'm sorry, was your cousin among the casualties?"

Langenscheidt nodded. "He was missing in action. That's all they told the family. The captain didn't even care enough to talk to my aunt. It was very rude of him."

"Rude? You're such a good man, Langenscheidt," Kinch chuckled. "So, you told this to Newkirk."

"I just wanted him to see that he wasn't the only one who'd been humiliated by that man. Captain Köperschaft collected a nice group of enemies wherever he went."

"And now you think he killed Köperschaft in revenge?"

"Not just like that. It was what he said: "_Karl," _he looked at me and shook his head. "_Men like Köperschaft are on this earth only to make others miserable. Someone should give it back to him." _"It sounds like a threat to me, don't you think?"

Kinch took a deep breath. Langenscheidt could be right in that. "Well, I know that Newkirk can be a little impulsive sometimes but that doesn't make him a killer."

"I hope you're right and Colonel Hogan can prove his innocence." Langenscheidt looked at him intently. "I don't want to shoot him. I've never shot anyone before and-"

"It's all right, Corporal. We are working on that." Kinch looked around warily. "I hope Colonel Hogan finds something soon."

"Ja, before General Burkhalter finds them." Langenscheidt looked at the stairs.

"Wait at minute. General Burkhalter is downstairs too?"

"Yes, but Sergeant Schultz went to get Colonel Hogan. He'll bring them back."

Kinch shook his head. Now, it was his time to be concerned.

0)()(0

Hogan led his men through the corridors. They could walk faster but Newkirk kept stopping at every corner to pick up something. One more time and Hogan had it. "Newkirk! What in the world are you up to now?"

Newkirk frowned at him. "Oh, you are talking to me. Am I bothering you, Spade? I apologize. I was just confirming a theory I began to build up a few doors ago."

"Which is?"

"Someone has been tampering with the locks," he said triumphantly.

"No way, really?" Carter smiled, crouching down in front of one of the doors. He closed one eye to see through the lock with the other. "How do you know?"

Hogan pulled him up by the collar. "It takes a thief, remember?" He gathered his three men in a corner. "Listen, no one knows we're out here. Please, try to be quiet. That goes for you too, Sherlock."

"I would not argue to that, my friend." Newkirk turned too fast and he lost balance. LeBeau and Hogan were near to prevent him from falling.

"Are you all right?" Hogan examined Newkirk's head wound. "You should go back to the room."

"Nonsense, I'm perfectly capable of-" he blinked, holding his head in his hands. "My head is pounding too fast."

"Colonel?" LeBeau asked.

"It's all right, LeBeau, we need to go on. Take Newkirk to the restaurant so he can rest for a while. Be careful, don't let anyone see you." Hogan turned to Carter. "You come with me."

0)()(0

Schultz descended the stairs and tiptoed into the hallway. The oak boards squeaked under his feet. He did not mind it too much; Burkhalter was a heavy man too. If he could hear himself walking, he would certainly hear the general too. He was about to turn the corner and almost hit the breaker box with his helmet. Then, he heard a woman sobbing at the other end of the corridor. He leaned on the wall and peeped.

"_It's all right, Liebling. I'm taking care of everything."_ General Burkhalter was holding the hand of the white haired lady that they had seen knitting at the restaurant a few hours ago.

"_Oh, meine Süßigkeiten," _she exhaled. "_I don't know what I would have done if you weren't here."_

"_I told you I would fix everything. You don't have to worry about him anymore."_

"_But, you do not understand, I did not-"_

"_Please, Hanna, I do not want any explanations. Köperschaft is dead, he cannot harm us anymore."_

Schultz felt a sneeze coming out. He covered his nose in a weak attempt at stopping it.

0)()(0

LeBeau allowed Newkirk to lead the way. He watched him attentively as they walked to the main room. The dizzy spells seemed to have diminished as Newkirk resumed his personal inquiry about the locks.

"This is awfully interesting," he said, examining another one.

"Someone opened that lock too?" LeBeau came closer. He glanced at the door but he could only see some little scratches around the keyhole.

"Not a very professional work, I must say," Newkirk shrugged and got up. He stumbled slightly but LeBeau was close to stabilize him. "I am all right, my dear fellow. I am just a bit tired."

"The cafe is that way. We're almost there." LeBeau touched Newkirk's arm but he did not move. "Come on, Peter, just a few steps more."

"Peter?" Newkirk frowned. "Peter Newkirk?"

"Does the name ring any bell?" LeBeau asked hopefully.

Newkirk chuckled. "Alas no. That young man's name is still elusive in my mind."

LeBeau shrugged in resignation. Then, he looked at Newkirk again. "Hey, how do you know he's a young man?"

"Oh, well, I just imagine that if he is a corporal, he could not be older than thirty," Newkirk smiled. He rubbed his eyes as though he were about to fall asleep any time soon. "But that is not what should concern us now, my friend Poirot." He put his arm around LeBeau's shoulder.

"Ah, non?"

"Of course, not," Newkirk frowned. "It is about the locks, Hercules. Why would someone want to break into every room on this floor? Did they find what they were looking for? And what was it?"

"Those are good questions. I wish we didn't have so many. I would also appreciate that you stop calling me Poir-," LeBeau said, shaking his head. Newkirk turned on the corner and he had to rush after him. "Attendez! The restaurant is the other way." Suddenly, he heard steps. Newkirk nodded quietly and both slipped towards the shadows.

0)()(0

"How does he know when a lock has been picked?"

"Carter, we won't get anywhere if you keep staring at every door." Hogan stopped and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Where are we going again?" Carter stood up and looked around. "I don't think we'll meet anyone around here, at this hour."

Hogan rubbed his neck and sighed. "I know," he shrugged. "I was hoping for some stroke of luck or something. Time is getting short."

"You don't think they will do it, do you?" Carter came closer. "I mean, shooting Newkirk just like that. He didn't do it."

"We've talked about that already, Carter. I might talk our way out of this problem with Klink, but Burkhalter, well, he's another story." Hogan looked around and shook his head. "Let's go to the restaurant and see how Newkirk is doing. I need a drink."

"Wouldn't it be great if we found our man at the end of the hallway?"

"_Our man_? That's a way to put it," Hogan said. He turned the corner and the lights went off.

0)()(0

The sudden blackout frustrated LeBeau's plans of a lateral attack. Now, he could not see Newkirk or the stranger coming their way. He had to wait, leaning against the wall and trying to be as quiet as possible. He heard the steps coming towards him. As soon as they were close enough, LeBeau jumped on whoever was in front of him.

He received a fist on his chin that made him see sparks. "Merde!" LeBeau yelled before throwing a blow on the air.

"What the hell?"

"Hey, did he just speak English?" LeBeau grabbed the man in front of him by the shoulders and pushed him to where he reckoned there was a wall.

Newkirk was already in position to restrain the stranger. "Why yes, I think he did." He lit turned a flashlight on the man. "Do you know this gentleman?"

LeBeau was surprised. "Where did you get that from?"

Newkirk stared at the flashlight and smiled. "I have got no idea. I think I found it in his pocket."

"You stole it, you may say," the stranger said with a smile. "Are you a thief? I didn't feel when you took it."

"Ma foi! Isn't he the man in the blue raincoat?"

The man had stopped struggling. He looked at both of them and shrugged. "Since I'm still wearing it, I suppose I am, aren't I?"

"You're not German; your accent is a little funny." LeBeau asked while taking a good look at the man. He was tall and thin. Although there were no visible weapons, LeBeau prepared himself for fighting or running.

Newkirk rubbed his chin in a thoughtful way. He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head. "Actually, I will take a wild guess and say that your accent is partly Londoner, partly Parisian. Am I right?" he grinned.

"French? Impossible, I would know." LeBeau shook his head and tapped Newkirk's shoulder. "Your head is still spinning, n'est pas?"

"Impressive," the man chuckled. "Oxford and La Sorbonne. Can you read minds too?"

"Why not, I'm just a detective," Newkirk bowed. "Sher-"

"He's a good observer," LeBeau interrupted him before he could finish. "So you are really French? What are you doing here? You're not a collaborateur too, are you?"

Newkirk smiled and went on. "But tell me, sir, did you find what you were looking for in the rooms?"

The man's grin disappeared. He narrowed his eyes and stared at Newkirk for a moment before smiling again. "I won't answer to that; just let's say that I'm a good observer myself." He tilted his head. "May I know what are two POW doing around here unsupervised?"

"You aren't going to give us away!" LeBeau stepped forward waving his fist in a threatening way. "I'd like to see you try."

Newkirk grabbed LeBeau's arm and pulled him gently. "Now, let's not lose our composure." He turned to the stranger. "I think we are in common ground here, aren't we?"

"What do you mean?" The man stared warily at them.

"Elemental," Newkirk shrugged. "It's past midnight, and you're wandering about, just like us. You met us in the middle of nowhere but did not show any intention of calling the guards on us. I'd dare to say that you're hiding from them, just like us. From what I saw you did to the locks, you must be a thief or a spy. Maybe both?" He smiled. "In fact, I think I know who you really are."

"You do?" The man frowned.

"You do?" LeBeau frowned too, then, he smiled triumphantly. "Bien sûre he does." He crossed his arms on his chest and looked at the man. "So, what do you have to say to that, Monsieur?"

The man tested the waters one more time. "Who am I?"

"Who else?" Newkirk shrugged. "Arsène Lupin."

"Arsène who?"

LeBeau rolled his eyes. "Not again." He turned to the man and tried to smile. "He's not well. His head-"

"I heard about that." He nodded and made an attempt to resume his way.

"Where do you think you're going? We haven't finished with you yet. Isn't that right, Holmes?"

Newkirk smiled. "As you wish, Hercules, you're doing a great job."

"Hercules? As in Poirot?" The stranger grinned. "Did they hit you on the head too?"

LeBeau heaved a deep sigh. "He's the one with the headache. Now, tell me, Monsieur, what were you doing tonight at the time of the crime?"

0)()(0

"Colonel!" Carter leaned against the wall and tested his space with an outstretched arm. "Colonel Hogan, are you there?"

"Of course, I'm here," Hogan whispered. "Keep it down, someone could hear you. I'm walking towards you, keep talking."

"Did you hear that horrible noise? It happened right before the lights went off," Carter said. "Sounded like a poor old bear being shot in the middle of the forest." He felt a hand perching on his shoulder and almost screamed. A second hand covered his mouth.

"It's me, don't make a fuss," Hogan said before Carter started to struggle.

"Sorry," he said. "What do we do now? We won't go far in the dark," Carter sighed. "By the way, where are we going?"

Hogan shrugged and leaned his back on the wall. "I don't know, we're shooting in the dark here. Literally." He narrowed his eyes in a attempt at getting used to the darkness. "There is some light at the end of the hallway. It must be a door."

"It can't be the backdoor, can be?"

"No. This is the way to the restaurant." Hogan squinted and sighed. "We made the wrong turn. That's the backdoor indeed."

Carter's eyes perceived shadows taking shape. He could barely tell one object from another when something moved in front of them. Startled, he did not dare to blink. "Colonel?" He whispered.

"Shh..." Hogan said quietly. He hid on the shadows and did not move.

Carter stood against the wall, looking intently at the person coming toward them. It must be a small person, slender and light. As soon as the silhouette had passed Hogan, the colonel jumped and pushed the person to the floor. Carter thought of helping him out but the struggle lasted less than he expected.

"Stop struggling," Hogan said keeping the person pinned down.

"Let me go or I'll scream!"

"Colonel!" Carter said, recognizing the voice.

Hogan sat back. "Frau Köperschaft," he nodded. She accepted his hand to sit up and compose herself. Hogan noticed that she was wearing pants and boots as well as a thick coat. She looked around for something. Hogan picked up a glove and handed it to her. "Looking for this?"

Frau Köperschaft smirked and snatched it from Hogan's hand. She stood up quickly and jumped slightly at the sight of Carter. He nodded and smiled. "Aren't you both supposed to be locked up somewhere?"

"Sometimes we are," Carter said.

"Were are you going at this hour?" Hogan got up. "There is a blizzard out there."

"That's none of your business," she said. She seemed uneasy as she looked for something in her pockets. She finally took out a pack of cigarettes and lit one. "I always have a cigarette when I can't sleep."

"This is your second one tonight." Hogan frowned. "You had one right before your husband died."

She shrugged nervously. "I think so, why?"

"You met Newkirk outside," Carter said. "You two kissed." He saw a glow in her eyes, but he could not tell if she was upset or it was just the dim light of the cigarette playing with the shadows.

"We did what?" She grinned and frowned.

Hogan caught that glance too. "Tell me Frau-"

"Margrit," she smiled, arching an eyebrow. "What if I saw the Englander outside? Who told you that we kissed?"

Carter was about to answer when Hogan stepped forward. "That's not important. What did you talk about before-?"

"Before he killed my husband?" She exhaled deeply. "He was rather nice. He... was concerned about me."

"Naturally," Carter agreed. "Newkirk is a ladies' man..." Although he could not see very well in the semi darkness, he could feel Hogan's disapproval.

"Newkirk," she said with a smile, "said that he would do anything for me."

"Really?" Hogan studied Margrit as much as the dim light allowed him. "Did you ask him to kill your husband, by any chance?"

She glared at him. "What kind of monster do you think I am? I loved my husband!"

"And yet, you looked very much apart yesterday."

"I don't know what you are suggesting, Colonel," she said. "My husband was a man with too much on his shoulders. It would have been too selfish from me to claim more attention than he could give me. Your man, Newkirk, was kind but inopportune. I am terribly sorry for him and for me too."

"Of course you are," Carter said to himself. A sudden gust of wind opened the back door. He and Hogan turned at the same time. "Nice weather," Carter chuckled.

Hogan pulled up the collar of his jacket. "One more thing, Frau- er, Margrit," he said turning back to the woman. There was no one there.

"Holy cra-! Where did she go?" Carter looked around.

"My words exactly," Hogan sighed.

"Boy, nothing like this happens in the book I'm reading and I thought it was really exciting." Carter saw Hogan sitting down and he did the same. The colonel stared at the open door, as though mesmerized by the snow outside. "You are coming out with a plan, aren't you?"

"What?" Hogan looked at him with a frown.

"You always have that look when we are about to blow up something or crack a safe, or-"

"Carter, that book of yours, is it about a murder?"

"Yep, pretty much like this. A bunch of suspects in the same place and-"

"Tell me all about it. How does M. Poirot manage to solve the crime?"

"Well, I haven't got there yet but he has very interesting ideas..."

0)()(0

"I'll ask you again, what were you doing at the time of the crime?" LeBeau squinted.

Newkirk smiled. "Nice try, but I don't think that our friend Lupin is going to answer any question like that." He looked at the stranger and nodded. "Let's start with the basics, did you know the victim?"

The stranger kept quiet for a moment before nodding. "I am afraid so, I met the captain yesterday, at Field Marshal Wagner's house. I came as a journalist to cover the party. Good propaganda, you know."

"But you told the colonel that you were a salesman." LeBeau crossed his arms over his chest. "Someone here is lying."

"You're not mistaken, my friend, I've been trained not to reveal my identity unless my life depends on it." The stranger looked around as though waiting for an ambush. "So, tell me... M. Poirot, am I in enough danger to reveal my real identity?"

"I suppose not," LeBeau said. "But you might want to be polite and help us solve this crime."

"Solve the crime? I thought that your friend here had been found guilty already."

"Newkirk didn't do it!" LeBeau almost jumped in anger.

"It's all right, my loyal Poirot," Newkirk touched his shoulder. "Pray do not let your emotions blur your rational thinking. We are here to solve this mystery and I know that our friend Arsène has much more to tell us about it."

"He could start by telling us his real name," LeBeau said.

The man smiled and shrugged. "Arsène Lupin."

"You think you are very funny, don't you?" LeBeau came closer to meet him in the eye.

"Halt!" A voice called from the end of the hallway.

LeBeau held his arms up. A big round silhouette began to walk towards them. "Merde, I think it's Burkhalter," he whispered. "We must take it easy. I'll do the talking, okay?" He waited for some kind of confirmation but there was only silence.

The flashlight stopped on LeBeau's nose. The Frenchman looked around and found that Newkirk and the man in the blue raincoat were gone. He was completely alone. He blinked at the light in his eyes and smiled innocently. "Salut, I surrender."

tbc

* * *

><p><em>Arsène Lupin, the gentleman thief (1906, by Maurice Leblanc)<em>

_Thank you for reading and reviewing. It's been great! :)_


	6. These are much deeper waters

_**ACT SIX: **These are much deeper waters than I had thought_

"Don't shoot, s'il vous plaît!" LeBeau raised his hands as high as he could. "I'm not armed!" The silhouette kept walking towards him with the light on his face all the time. They were nose to chest when LeBeau had a hint of who that man could be. He narrowed his eyes and tilted his head. "Schultz, it's that you?"

"LeBeau! How good to see you!" The sergeant smiled gently. "What are you doing here? Where are the others?" He turned to the back door and gasped. "It's open! They ran away? Oh, no, no, no!"

LeBeau grabbed Schultz's arm before he rushed to the door. "Take it easy. They didn't run away."

"Was?"

"They're still here, somewhere," LeBeau looked around and sighed. "Well, at least Colonel Hogan and Carter are."

"Wh-what do you mean? Where is Newkirk?"

LeBeau jumped to cover the sergeant's mouth. "He's here too... He was here just a minute ago but you scared him with that light. Newkirk is a little confused tonight."

"I see," said Schultz thoughtfully.

"Were you following us, Schultz? Le colonel told you to stay put, and let us work."

"I know, I know..." Schultz shook his head. "General Burkhalter!"

"Quoi? Where?"

"Everywhere... Colonel Klink said that he did not come back to his room after we found Captain Köperschaft's...body."

"Sacre Bleu!" LeBeau stared at the darkness and shook his head. "He could be right behind us... It was a good thing that the lights went out. That storm has been a blessing after all."

"That blessing was me," Schultz smiled innocently. "I had to sneeze and-"

"The lights went off? Some sneeze," LeBeau chuckled.

"Nein, I hid next to the fuse box. I turned it off so he could not see me."

"He? Who?"

"The general. He was in the hallway talking to that woman-"

"What woman?" LeBeau frowned.

"The lady with the white hair..."

"The knitting lady? I didn't know the general had met her before." LeBeau scratched his hair under the beret. "This is the kind of things that Colonel Hogan would want to know." He turned on his heels towards the darkened hallway.

Schultz pulled the Frenchman by his coat. "Wait a minute, where are you going now?"

"I have to find the colonel," LeBeau said. "He doesn't know that the general is on the loose."

"I will find the colonel, you must go back to your room. Langenscheidt can't keep pretending you are all there when you are not."

"Schultzie!" He yelled. "If you don't let me come with you I... I'll escape! I'll run in the snow and die, trying to get back to Paris!"

Schultz made all kind of gestures to shut him up. "Please, you don't want to get us in trouble. General Burkhalter-"

"Let him come, I don't mind. I have to find the colonel and if you don't let me come with you I'll-"

"All right, all right, come with me. But if we find the general first-"

"Ne vous inquietez pas, I will make way for you to run to the other side."

"Thank you," Schultz nodded.

0)()(0

This side of the corridor was darker. Hogan could only guess Carter's position by the sound of his steps in front of him. The noise of something hitting a solid object only confirmed his theory. He heard a moan. "Are you all right?"

"Colonel, I think I found the reason for the blackout," he said painfully.

"You think?" Hogan came closer.

"I have the fuse box right in front of my nose-"

"Is it broken?"

"No, it's solid aluminum... I might have crushed it a little, though."

"I was asking about your nose, Carter... never mind. What about the breakers?"

"They are all down. Here." He put them all back in place and the lights went back too.

"Well done, Sergeant," Hogan tapped him on the shoulder. Almost immediately, a woman screamed loudly at the end of the hallway. "It came from the restaurant. Let's go!"

0)()(0

"Thief!" Frau Köperschaft shouted as she ran into the restaurant. Langenscheidt and Kinch were already there. She came directly to the German soldier and yelled again. "Corporal! Someone just entered my room and stole-"

"Nobody move!" Klink came in right behind the lady. "Schultz! Where is Sergeant Schultz!"

Langenscheidt was stammering an answer when General Burkhalter arrived, pulling Hanna Fritz by the hand. "What is going on here? Colonel Klink!"

Hogan and Carter ran inside. Right after them, were Schultz and LeBeau. At the sight of Burkhalter and Klink, LeBeau almost turned back to the hallway. However, Liesel's appearance at the door frustrated his attempt of evasion. She was pale and shaky, on the verge of passing out.

She walked to the middle of the room. She looked around with anger in her eyes. "My husband is dead! Someone in this room killed Etienne!"

"Quoi?" LeBeau stared at her, puzzled.

Frau Köperschaft gasped and covered her mouth with one hand. Her face lost its color. "Murder!" She screamed and fell down, unconscious.

0)()(0

The place went silence for a while. By the general's orders, everybody chose a table and now, they were just sitting there glaring at one another. Schultz stood by the main door and Langenscheidt watched the door to the hallway. Burkhalter sat with Hanna Fritz, doing his best to keep her calm. Klink, unable to settle down, paced back and forth. He looked occasionally at Liesel, sitting at the bar with a glass of cognac. Frau Köperschaft had just come to, with the help of Carter and LeBeau. She sat at a table by the window, sobbing.

"Liesel and Etienne married? Incroyable," LeBeau frowned, still trying to assimilate the latest news.

"I don't get it," Carter said, handing the lady a glass of water. "Who would want to kill the innkeeper?"

Frau Köperschaft shuddered at that question. LeBeau held her hand and smiled at her. "It's all right, Madame, try to rest now." He watched her until she turned to look through the window.

Carter nodded. "I'm sorry, Frau Köperschaft, sometimes, I talk too much, right, Louie?"

"It's all right, Sergeant. I'm just a little nervous with all that has happened." She breathed deeply, looking for a cigarette in her purse. "First, my husband is brutally murdered, then, someone breaks into my room and now this-"

"What did you say?" LeBeau interrupted her. "Someone got into your room? Who?"

"I don't know. He came in while I was out," she shrugged.

"What did he take?" Carter asked.

"My jewels, money," she shook her head.

"The usual stuff for a thief," Carter frowned. "One more thing that doesn't make sense. We have a murderer and a thief?"

LeBeau rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "The same person, you think?"

"Newkirk would like the company," Carter chuckled. Immediately, a thought crossed his mind. "LeBeau, you don't think that Newkirk could be-"

"Of course not," LeBeau smiled. "He has been with us all the time."

"You lost him about half an hour ago," Carter said. "He was very interested on Frau Köperschaft's gems when we first came here.

"I didn't lose him. I told you, he ran away," LeBeau sat back with his arms crossed over his chest. "Besides, he thinks he's Sherlock Holmes, not a thief."

"He could be thinking he's Raffles," Carter said thoughtfully. "You know, like Sherlock Holmes but a thief..." He saw LeBeau and Frau Köperschaft staring blankly at him. "Raffles... Ronald Colman... 1930?"

LeBeau shook his head and grabbed him by the hand. They went to their table at the moment Hogan and Kinch came back from the kitchen. All the eyes were on them as though waiting for the report of their gloomy work. Hogan went straight to Klink and saluted him.

"Quit the formalities, you never mean them anyway," Klink said in a sad tone. "Did you-?"

"Yes, I did," Hogan said.

"Schultz!" Klink signed for the German sergeant to came closer. "Bring the chains and shackles. I'm sorry, Colonel Hogan," he said, avoiding Hogan's quizzical eyes. "I don't have any alternative." He turned to Schultz, seemingly in shock.

Schultz turned to Hogan. "I'm sorry, Colonel."

Hogan nodded and turned back to Klink. "Colonel, I think we have gone through this already. My men don't deserve this kind of treatment."

"Surely, is that how you and Sergeant Carter were here unsupervised, Sergeant Schultz had to pick up LeBeau on the hallway, and Langenscheidt was upstairs with just one prisoner to guard?" Klink grinned.

Burkhalter walked towards them slowly. He did not look happy at all. "Colonel Hogan, your man has done it again. Is this some kind of secret revenge on your enemies?"

"Revenge? I don't know what you're talking about. My man is as innocent of this crime as of the first one." Hogan glanced at the general's table. The white-haired lady had started a new knitting work. She drank a glass of wine and kept staring through the window.

"Now, tell me, Colonel Hogan, where is Corporal Newkirk?" The general grinned, guessing the answer.

Hogan frowned "What do you mean? He's right there, with LeBeau and Carter-" He looked at his men waving innocently at him. There was nothing to do. He sighed and dropped his head in defeat. "All right, Colonel Klink, I get your point. I'll be with my men if you need me."

Carter, LeBeau and Kinch were unusually quiet when the colonel came to join them. They looked guilty and pensive. Finally, Carter spoke for the three of them. "Sorry."

"Are you?" Hogan shook his head. "I feel betrayed, blindfolded and waiting for execution. I think I told you to come here right away. What happened?"

LeBeau shrugged painfully. "We were coming. But Newkirk took the wrong turn, and this man stepped on our way-"

"What man?"

"The salesman," Carter said.

"Lothar Macstein?" Kinch read from Carter's notebook.

"He didn't tell us his name," LeBeau said. "But he is not German. He's French." He looked around to make sure no one outside their group was listening. His voice lowered down into a whisper. "First, he said he is a journalist. But I think he's a spy for the Allies."

Kinch covered Carter's mouth to prevent him from yelling in surprise. "So, was it him? He killed the captain?"

"No, he thought Newkirk had done it for him."

"Some spy," Carter chuckled.

"What else did he tell you?" Hogan asked.

"Nothing much, that he had followed the captain from the party at Field Marshal Wagner's," LeBeau said.

"And he didn't give you a name?"

"Non, mon Colonel... oh, Newkirk called him Arsène Lupin," LeBeau smiled.

"Wow, Arsène Lupin!" Carter nodded. "But he's not a spy, he's a thief."

Hogan smiled condescendingly. "If he were a real person, of course."

"But it makes sense, don't you see? Frau Köperschaft said that a thief took her jewels and money."

"Carter, she was hysterical, wasn't she?" Kinch said.

"Let's forget about the thief and focus on the murderer," Hogan said, leaning forward. "We found interesting things in the innkeeper's crime scene."

Carter took out his notebook and began to write. "Ready, Colonel. What did you find?"

Hogan nodded at Kinch. The older sergeant produced an old pair of gloves. He and Hogan waited for a reaction of some kind from their friends.

"Hey," Carter said at last. "Aren't those your gloves, Louie."

"La vache! I must have left them there when I was helping Liesel in the kitchen."

Hogan rubbed his face with a hand. "LeBeau, everybody saw you accusing that man of being a collaborator. Now, your gloves are in the crime scene."

"But you know I didn't do it. I've been with you all the time."

"You went out of the room, looking for Colonel Hogan," Kinch said.

"You sent me!"

"But when we came back to the room, you weren't there," Carter narrowed his eyes. "That looks very suspicious."

"How about the murder weapon?" Hogan smirked. "The iron spatula. Tell me, Louie, wasn't that the instrument you were carrying when you came from the kitchen after helping Liesel?"

"B-but, Colonel, I-" LeBeau shook his head. "I didn't do it!"

Hogan tapped him on the shoulder and smiled gently. "It's all right, LeBeau. We're just playing with you. I know you couldn't do such a thing, as much as I know that Newkirk would not kill a man in cold blood." He exhaled deeply. "We are lucky that these Germans decided that taking bodies from the crime scene is a work for POW. We'll have to keep these gloves out of the record."

"My lips are sealed," LeBeau said putting the gloves in the inside pocket of his coat.

"What about Liesel? She must have seen the gloves next to the spatula," Kinch asked.

"Oh, she's not saying anything," LeBeau smiled. "I spoke to her while we were cooking. She works for the underground. I trust her."

"I'm with LeBeau, Liesel has been good to us," Carter nodded, writing something else. "So, M. Vert was murdered in the kitchen with an iron spatula."

"Now what, Colonel?"

"That, Kinch, it's a really good question." Hogan leaned back on his chair and looked around. "We need to find the murderer."

"And Newkirk," LeBeau said.

"And Newkirk," Carter repeated aloud while writing down the name.

"Do we have time, sir?" Kinch asked. "In a matter of hours, General Burkhalter is going to send his foxhounds in search of Newkirk."

"Foxhounds? You're talking about Langenscheidt and Schultz," Carter smiled. "They couldn't find him to save their lives."

"I'm counting on that," Hogan said. "We need time to solve this problem." He turned to Kinch and frowned. The older sergeant stared at Carter with curiosity. "What is it, Kinch?"

"Colonel, I just remember something."

"Anything that might help Newkirk?" LeBeau smiled, hopeful.

"I don't know," Kinch took a deep breath. "It could make things more confusing, though."

"Well, I think we're not that bad," Carter said, putting his book on the table. "Even M. Poirot didn't know who the killer was. Do you know what he did then?"

Hogan shrugged. "I suppose you're going to tell me. But first, I need to know what Kinch remembered." He leaned forward to put his elbows on the table. "In fact, gentlemen, I need you to tell me everything you've seen and done in the last 10 hours."

tbc

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><p><em>Thank you for your reviews. The input has been really helpful to clarify small details. Only three more chapters and the mystery will be solved... <em>


	7. We also have our diplomatic secrets

_**ACT SEVEN: **__**We also have our diplomatic secrets**_

"Colonel Senf, Mme. Liesel Vert, Frau Köperschaft, Fraulein Fritz-" Carter read the names from his notebook.

"Colonel Hogan, are you out of your mind?" General Burkhalter asked. "You can't accuse these people just like that."

"Oh, I'm not finished," Hogan said with a smile. "Go on, Carter."

The young sergeant cleared his throat. He did not show any fear or doubt as he turned the page and read. "Corporal Langenscheidt, Sergeant Schultz, Colonel Wilhem Klink, General Burkhalter-"

"Enough!" the general sprang off his chair and almost turned his table. "Colonel Klink, control this man. Why aren't the prisoners chained?"

"Schultz!" Klink emulated the general's tone. He was nervous, but above that, he was angry at having Burkhalter on his back at each moment. "Where are the chains?"

"There are by the fireplace, Kommandant," the sergeant said. "They are frozen, we can't get them open."

"I bet Newkirk would do it like this," Carter said snapping his fingers.

"Shh," LeBeau elbowed him lightly.

"Let's not bring attention towards him," Kinch whispered.

"Besides, we don't need anyone to open those chains anyway," LeBeau nodded.

"Colonel Hogan," the general said. "I still don't see the purpose of this exercise. We all know who the murderer is." He looked around and tightened his jaw. "Colonel Klink, where is Corporal Newkirk?"

Klink paled and swallowed thick. He was the last one there to know where the Englander was. "G-General Burkhalter, I assure you that-"

"He must be with the stranger in the blue raincoat," Carter said.

Hogan took a deep breath. Although he had most of the tokens of the game in his hands, there were always several pieces that had a mind of their own. "Carter, sit down."

"Is anyone looking for the Englander?" Burkhalter asked. "I want that man chained and ready for execution within thirty minutes!"

"In the meantime," Hogan said, "I'd like to interrogate the suspects, sir."

"Maybe we should let him, sir," Klink said. "It will keep him busy for a while."

Burkhalter exhaled deeply. "All right, let's hear what you want to say. But I warn you, colonel, stop referring to these people as suspects."

Hogan went back to the table where his men were sitting. He faked a reassuring smile that no one bought. "Come on, guys. Don't look at me as though I didn't know what I'm doing."

"Do you?... sir," Kinch asked.

"No, but it doesn't mean you must lose faith in me," Hogan said.

"I have faith in you, sir." Carter patted the book on the table. "You did exactly what M. Poirot did."

Hogan sat down and crossed his arms over his chest. "Tell me, Carter, what did he do after that?"

"Oh, I don't know. I haven't got to that part yet. Too much is happening around here, I don't have time to read."

"Of course." Hogan pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Colonel Hogan!" Burkhalter called him from the other side of the room. "We're waiting."

"Showtime," Hogan whispered to his men and got up.

0)()(0

The door opened. He walked in, barely using his flashlight. Rooms in small inns were all alike. He could tell where every piece of furniture was seconds before he touched them. The beds were on the right, against the wall. There were two night tables, one lamp and a radio between both beds. The bureau was by the window, and on it, there was the small safe box. He grinned. There was no challenge in opening boxes like this one. It was like-

"Like stealing candy from an infant, isn't it?" Newkirk lit a cigarette and let the flame fade away slowly in front of his face. "Mind if I smoke? I like pipes better, but I seemed to have misplaced mine." He exhaled the smoke, waiting for the man in front of him to make the next movement, but there was none. "I was wondering how long it would take until you acknowledged my presence."

The man turned to see him. "So, you knew that I knew that you were following me? Why didn't you say anything?"

Newkirk shrugged. "I supposed that if you didn't mind me following you, I shouldn't mind either."

"You're a very peculiar man, you remind me of someone I met once. I gather that the blow to your head shook something inside." The man went back to the box. He opened it and proceeded to examine its contents. "Shouldn't you hide or run away? They're looking for you aren't they?"

"Mistaken identity, no doubt." Newkirk got up and went to the window. "Bad weather, indeed. There has been another murder."

"I know, I heard the screams," the man said. "It's a very small inn. Who was it this time?"

"I don't know. But I suppose we can rule each other out."

"For this one, I guess," the man chuckled. He emptied the box and smirked. "I should've known."

"What? That a general doesn't travel with any valuable things but his decorations?" Newkirk came closer. "But you, a professional thief must know that. What were you looking for in General Burkhalter's room?"

"I kept my hopes high," the man shrugged. "Since he and Fraulein Fritz looked so close, I thought she had given him her valuables to keep them safe. Instead, I just found this." He showed Newkirk a ball of yarn.

"Blue yarn," he said, thoughtfully. "Sam Spade told me about Captain Köperschaft being killed by strangulation, with a piece of yarn perhaps." He sat with the ball of yarn on the table to make it rotate under his hand.

"Sam Spade?" the man asked but playing with the ball had got Newkirk too mesmerized to listening. The man shook his head and sighed. "Never mind. Anyway, this piece of yarn looks sturdy enough to strangle a man. The question will be what the general could hold against the captain."

"Good question, indeed," Newkirk barely answered.

"Oh, well," the man said. "I have got to leave now. My car is parked half a mile from here. Do you want me to give you a ride?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Listen, these Germans are convinced that you are the killer. They are going to shoot you in," he looked at his watch and winced, "in less than thirty minutes. I can't clear your name but I can get you out of here."

Newkirk shook his head. "You are mistaken. It's not I whom they are after. His name is Newkirk, a corporal..."

"Sure," the man nodded condescendingly. "Anyway, I don't think you should stay here."

Newkirk narrowed his eyes as though reading the man's mind. "Why are you so kind? We haven't met before. What do you know about this?"

The man looked through the window and exhaled. "No, we haven't met. I know you didn't do it because I was there when they hit you on the head."

Newkirk took the ball of yarn and came closer. "Tell me more, please."

0)()(0

"Colonel Hogan," Burckhalter said, "if you have something to say, you'd better say it now."

Hogan straightened up and took a deep breath. He turned around and pointed with his index finger. "You!"

Schultz felt suddenly warm. He pointed at himself and said. "Who, me?" He stammered and smiled nervously. "I know nothing. I saw nothing."

"Tell me what were you doing tonight between 7 pm and 10 pm?"

"I-I was asleep. T-then LeBeau screamed that the Englander was missing-"

"Aha!" Hogan turned to LeBeau and pointed at him with the notebook. "So, you-!"

"Mon Colonel? Moi?" LeBeau stared at him in disbelief. "I went outside with Schultz and Kinch."

"Sergeant Kinch, tell us what you saw on the hallway," Hogan said.

Kinch shrugged awkwardly. "We found Langenscheidt sitting on the floor..." He seemed to remember something all of a sudden. "He was playing with a piece of rope! No! A piece of blue yarn!"

Hogan turned to the German corporal. "Langenscheidt? What say you in your own defense?"

Langenscheidt looked instinctively into his pocket. He paled as he took out the infamous piece of yarn. "Sir? I-I"

Hogan took the yarn in his hand. "Did you know that Captain Köperschaft was strangled with a piece of yarn like this? Where did you find it?"

"I-I don't remember... No, wait!" He turned to point at Carter. "He gave it to me!"

"Who, me?" Carter leaned back in his chair. "No way!"

"You did!" Langenscheidt defended himself. "You even showed me how to make the Eiffel Tower."

Hogan was as surprised as his men were. He turned to Carter. "Sergeant, do you recognize this?"

Carter took the piece of yarn from Hogan and chuckled. "Oh, yeah. I couldn't sleep and went to read in the bathroom. I gave Langenscheidt this string to keep him busy so he didn't say anything about me spending too much time out of the bedroom."

"You knew we were looking for that piece of yarn, don't you?" Kinch asked Carter.

"It's just a piece of yarn. I found it on the floor, somewhere," Carter shrugged. "Why is it so important all of a sudden?"

"The body presents blue scratches on the neck," Hogan said to his audience.

"Great," Burkhalter said ironically, "you have just connected Sergeant Carter to the crime."

"I didn't do it! Colonel, I object!" He stood up.

"This is not a trial, Carter," Hogan said. "I know you didn't do it." He turned to Burkhalter again. "After studying this case thoroughly, it seems to me that you were all invited to Field Marshal Wagner's party this morning because all of you knew Captain Köperschaft."

"Not me," Klink grinned and shrugged innocently. "I was invited to the party but I didn't know the man until this evening."

"You weren't invited, Klink," Burkhalter said. "I needed a driver and you were the only one available at the last minute."

Klink stared at the general quizzically, but sat down without replying.

Hogan sighed. "Right, we must assume that all the party's guests here, except for Colonel Klink, are suspects." He walked to the door, stopped and turned. "Colonel Senf, the captain served under your orders in Africa."

"_A sweeter and a lovelier gentleman, framed in the prodigality of nature..." _Senf took a sip of his drink and leaned back on his chair. He did not look at Hogan.

"Colonel Senf," Hogan spoke softly. "Do you remember Captain Köperschaft from Afr-?"

"_...young, valiant, wise, and no doubt, right royal. The spacious world cannot again afford.*"_

"It's useless, Hogan," Burkhalter said. "Colonel Senf hasn't been himself in a while. Move on." He turned to Schultz. "Sergeant, what are you still doing here? Go and fetch the Englander before he kills us all."

Hogan stepped forward. "You can't send Schultz!"

"He can't send me?" Schultz still had his helmet in his hands. "B-but he's the general, Colonel," he whispered.

"Yes, Colonel Hogan, I'm the general," Burkhalter grinned.

"Well, sir, Sergeant Schultz is our guard. If he goes away, my men will mutiny." He turned to Carter, Kinch and LeBeau for support.

"Oh, yes," Carter laughed. "We'll make Langenscheidt walk the plank, argg!"

"Vive la Revolution!" yelled LeBeau.

"Whatever they say goes for me too, sir," Kinch smiled.

"Nonsense," Klink said. "Schultz, go for Corporal Newkirk."

Schultz glanced at Langenscheidt who begged him quietly to stay. The sergeant shrugged with resignation and put on his helmet. He looked for his rifle and saluted reluctantly. "Ready, Herr Kommandant."

"Ja, Ja, go!" Klink shook his head.

He was half way to the door when Newkirk came in. He seemed not to notice the stares of surprise as he walked to Hogan's table.

"Greetings! Spade, I see you gathered everybody here," he smiled. "Good."

"Sergeant Schultz!" Klink intercepted Newkirk and yelled. "Don't make a move, we have you covered. Schultz! Langenscheidt!"

Newkirk stared at Klink and narrowed his eyes. He raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Professor Moriarty, the Napoleon of crime. _If I were assured of your eventual destruction I would, in the interest of the public, cheerfully accept my own*_."

Klink was puzzled and furious. "What? Who's that professor and where do you come from? Have you been drinking?"

"I don't have time for chatting, professor. My priority is with Spade." Newkirk passed by an open-mouthed Klink and went directly to Hogan. "I see you have things under control."

Hogan was not less angry as he grabbed Newkirk by the sleeve. "Where have you been? Why did you disappear like that?"

Newkirk smiled warmly. "You were concerned about me? I'm deeply touched."

"Newkirk-"

"Listen, I am not going to challenge that name again. You may call me what you like. Now, if you excuse me, I will take this from here."

Hogan did not have time to protest. Newkirk was already in front of Fraulein Fritz, showing her something he had hidden in his hands. The woman gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

"Colonel Klink! Why is this man still walking?" Burkhalter sprang up from his chair and placed himself in front of Fraulein Fritz. "You leave her alone!" he shouted at Newkirk.

"I am sorry if this causes her distress. Could that be because she thought it lost?" Newkirk presented the ball of yarn. "Is this familiar to you too?"

The general snatched the yarn from Newkirk's hands. "Sergeant Schultz, arrest this man!"

"What is the matter, General? Did you recognize the murder weapon?" Hogan stepped forward. "It's obvious that the lady did. Does she know something we should know?"

"Don't make a case of this, Hogan. Fraulein Fritz doesn't know-"

"It's all right," she said, "we don't have anything to hide."

"But, Hanna," Burkhalter turned around. "You don't have to talk."

"I think it's about time we talk." Fraulein Fritz took a purposeful breath. "Colonel Hogan, that's my yarn and I know that it was used to kill Captain Köperschaft. I think you also must know that I wasn't invited to the party."

"The white-haired lady did it with the rope in the restaurant!" Carter stood up and pointed at her.

"Carter!" Hogan scolded him.

"No! It wasn't me," she said quietly. She came to hold Burkhalter's arm. "But I know that you did what you had to do."

"Hanna?" Burkhalter looked at her with puzzled eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"It's all right, love, I know you did it for me."

"General Burkhalter? He's the murderer?" LeBeau asked, startled.

"So, it was the general in the restaurant with the rope," Carter said, writing it down.

"No, I didn't," Burkhalter said.

"And it wasn't in the restaurant either," Newkirk said. "Captain Köperschaft was murdered in his own room."

"How do you know that? You broke into his room?" Carter asked, jostling LeBeau on the ribs. "What did I tell you?"

"Gentlemen, please," Newkirk said. "General, I don't usually jump to conclusions. If you have an explanation, I'd be glad to hear it before I call Inspector Lestrade."

"Look at him," LeBeau said with concern. "He's getting worse."

"He's so much into character indeed," Kinch said sitting down. "Wouldn't it be good if he could solve the mystery just like the real Sherlock Holmes?"

Carter looked at Hogan. He offered him his chair. "Don't you worry, Colonel. Newkirk seems to know what he's doing. It's like a magician about to pull a rabbit from the hat."

"That's precisely what worries me." He shook his head and sighed. "Keep your eyes open, guys, just in case the rabbit jumps unexpectedly."

0)()(0

"It was 1917, I was a nurse in a local hospital near Berlin. I met Albert," Hanna looked at Burkhalter and smiled, "he wasn't a general back then; neither was Captain Köperschaft a captain."

"We had been at combat all week. Köperschaft was wounded and I had to drive him back to Berlin," Burkhalter remembered. "Hanna took care of him... and me."

"We became friends, the three of us," Hanna said. "At least, I thought we were just friends. We went out together for picnics or dancing."

"Dancing?" Carter whispered, "The general?"

LeBeau was about to say something else but Hogan stopped him. "Don't you dare," he said sotto voce, "and be quiet you two!" He glared at Carter and Kinch.

Newkirk sat in front of Fraulein Fritz and lit a cigarette. "If I may ask, did you fancy them both?"

The white-haired lady flushed slightly. "I... liked Albert better."

"And Köperschaft was so jealous," the general said. "He would not leave us alone."

"No, he didn't," she sighed.

"The typical love triangle," Newkirk said, looking at Hogan's table.

"So, General," Hogan grinned, "the murder weapon was in your room, you and Fraulein Fritz knew the captain from before, and you just admitted that he was jealous of your relationship. Could it be possible that one of you would have a motive to want him dead?"

"No!"Burkhalter jumped again. "That's not possible! Fraulein Fritz would never-"

"Maybe she wouldn't, but how about you-" Carter's voice thinned at Burkhalter's glare, "sir?" He stared as the general walked towards them. He felt LeBeau and Kinch moving slowly away. For a moment, Carter thought he would be the next victim.

The general ignored the looks of fear. Instead, he started to pace around. "It's not what you think. Köperschaft and I were friends and rivals in many ways. He was the next in line for a promotion; he had more decorations than me. I got tired of seeing him getting everything that must have been mine. When I met Hanna, I knew Köperschaft would like to court her too. So," Burkhalter looked at Fraulein Fritz and smiled, "I just made my move first." He went to the window as though looking at the dawn would help him to remember. "I proposed to Hanna the night of Christmas Eve, 1917. As I expected, she did not answer right away. I would have liked to keep Köperschaft out of that matter for I knew it would only cause him grief and rage. Two days later, he came to me and challenged me to a duel.

"The moment I accepted, we both knew we were in trouble. We kept our rendezvous in secret and went on as if nothing were about to happen. Our superiors would never find out. Unfortunately, the war did not wait. We received our orders to move to the front the next day. We could not wait for our duel, so, we set it for that night..."

Fraulein Fritz got up. "Konrad came to see me right before you two fought. H-he told me he would stop the duel if I agreed to marry him instead of you. I didn't think he would carry on with it and I turned him down. He gave me an address and left without saying anything else. I waited as long as I could, but somehow, I knew that something was about to happen that night. I ran to the address and I arrived the same moment Konrad stroke you in the face with his saber."

Burkhalter touched the scar on his face and nodded. "You distracted me, he was lucky." He stopped and looked at her. Suddenly, he raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I was still preparing myself to go on with the duel when you went to talk to Köperschaft. Whatever you said made him step back. Seconds later, the patrol arrived to arrest us. Köperschaft accepted all charges and took the blame for everything. He was punished with a week of confinement and a permanent mark in his record. He knew that he would never be considered for a promotion to general and he did not mind." He walked towards her. "Hanna, what did you tell him?"

"I just accepted his proposal," she shrugged sadly. "I didn't want him to kill you. But after a while, I knew I couldn't go on with it. I told him so and went away. Years later, when I learned about his marriage, I felt relieved. I thought everything was over. It was all right for a while, until I got a letter from him. He told me that he could talk about what happened that night and tell the authorities that Albert had participated in that duel too." She looked at Burkhalter. "He told me that I should convince you to drop charges and clean his record or he would ruin your career too."

"Blackmail! That's the perfect reason to commit murder," Carter said pointing at his book.

"I read in the newspapers that the Field Marshal was throwing a party for Konrad this weekend. I came hoping to see him and ask him to drop the idea of blackmailing Albert. But the storm closed the roads and I couldn't go up to the party. I stayed here waiting for the moment to go back to town. Suddenly, everybody at the party started to come in. I was really surprised to see Albert; I didn't think he would recognize me after all these years."

"Sure, like he hasn't changed that much," Carter whispered to LeBeau and Kinch.

"Are you ready to confess, General?" Hogan asked.

"I have had a long military career, Colonel Hogan. I have killed men in combat, but never in cold blood. I did not know about the blackmailing until I saw Hanna here, at the inn, this afternoon. I'll tell you what I told her back then. I do not fall for threats. If Köperschaft wanted something of me, he should have come and talked to me directly. I might have considered cleaning his record if he would have asked nicely.

"When Köperschaft was killed, I examined the body. I feared it could have been Hanna. It was rather a relief to see your man involved in this too." The gloomy tone in his voice lifted as his eyes shone with anticipation. "Now, if we may proceed with the execution..."

"It was a cute story, but where does that leave us?" LeBeau asked his friends.

"As Carter would say," Kinch grinned, "back to square one."

"Right," Carter sighed. "If we only know what game we are playing."

tbc

* * *

><p><em>Thank you always! You are really good readers ;)<em>

_*Shakespeare's Richard III, 1.2.263-266_

_*Sherlock Holmes, The Final Problem._


	8. Give me problems! Give me work!

_**ACT EIGHT: Give me problems! Give me work! **_

Langenscheidt sat down for a second, then, he got up. He opened his rifle, checked it thoroughly, cleaned it and put it back in its place. He sat down again and chewed on his nails. Schultz came closer and put a cup of coffee in front of him. "Irish coffee," he whispered and blinked, "it will help you to relax."

"I don't think I can, Sergeant."

Schultz sat down and smiled. "Can you keep a secret? Me neither. I'm still waiting for a miracle."

"A miracle? I was too, but instead, there was another death." Langenscheidt looked around and leaned back to speak softly. "You don't think they expect us to shoot one prisoner for every-"

"Don't even dare to suggest that," Schultz took a sip of the coffee. "General Burkhalter is in a funny mood today."

"Funny mood? How about the prisoners? Carter don't stop taking notes and Colonel Hogan keeps asking questions."

"And Newkirk, he's been calling everybody names since he woke up. The poor man is in a fantasy."

Langenscheidt sighed and took a big sip of his drink. "I don't know, Sergeant, I would like to be in a fantasy too, one where I didn't have to shoot anyone."

0)()(0

"General Burkhalter is checked," Carter said putting a mark next to the name. "Hanna Fritz, Colonel Senf..."

"Colonel Hogan!" Burkhalter walked to the center of the room and crossed his hands behind his back. "It's time."

"General Burkhalter-" Klink began to talk without knowing exactly what to say next.

Hogan took a deep breath and got up. His men stared at him, with a mixture of confidence and fear. Newkirk did not move from his seat. He did not seem concerned as he kept writing and making calculations.

"Why are we wasting so much time? Let's get done with this." Burkhalter signed for Schultz and Langenscheidt to come closer. "Colonel Klink, where do you think we should put the firing squad?"

Klink opened his mouth but the words did not come out. He felt that everything would be easier if the general were not there. The prisoners responded better to him. Schultz and Langenscheidt did not fear him but they were loyal. Klink could control the situation if it were not for Burkhalter contradicting him at every second.

"I can't make bricks without clay!" Newkirk cried suddenly. Everybody turned to look at him. He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. "Watson, the needle!"

LeBeau pushed Carter. "That's you," he said, walking towards Newkirk.

Burkhalter watched impatiently as Hogan and his men conferred. He began to pace again, his hands clapped at his back and shaking his head. Klink avoided him as much as he could, in case the general decided to carry on with the execution.

"Is everything all right, Newkirk?" Hogan asked.

"I am dreadfully sorry, Spade. I am not at my best tonight, see?" Newkirk sat down and wiped the sweat off his forehead. He sketched a smile, despite his poor shape. "_There is nothing more stimulating than a case where everything goes against you."_

"He's getting worse," LeBeau frowned with concern.

"We must get out of here, Colonel." Carter poured a glass of wine for Newkirk.

"What's the plan, Colonel?" Kinch asked, looking at General Burkhalter on the other side of the room. "We can't stay here for much longer."

"I know, I know," Hogan sighed. "Burkhalter is ready to get a rifle himself."

"Colonel Hogan! What's the meaning of this?" The general stopped to look at them.

Hogan rolled his eyes and turned to him. "It's Newkirk, he's not doing too well with that blow to the head, sir."

"Nonsense! He's just making time. Sergeant Schultz!"

The general's voice of command started Schultz and he dropped his rifle. "Y-yes sir," he saluted as he looked around for his weapon.

Newkirk sprang up, tumbling his chair in the process. He pointed at Frau Köperschaft and narrowed his eyes. "You hit me!"

"Newkirk!" Carter whispered. "Sit down."

The Englishman walked to the woman's table and leaned on it. He stared at her with curiosity. "You killed your husband!"

"What? You are crazy," Frau Köperschaft said, shielding herself with her purse.

"You saw me coming... you waited for me outside," Newkirk gasped. "No... wait... Captain Köperschaft was murdered in his room. You must have asked for help to bring him down here... Who? A man, of course." Newkirk turned around. "Someone tall and strong enough to carry the captain downstairs..."

Langenscheidt lowered his eyes as he felt Newkirk would pick him up again. Schultz did not move and quickly looked away. Carter looked at LeBeau and Kinch and the three of them shrugged. Hogan shook his head and walked towards Newkirk.

"Come, you shouldn't be on your feet," he said, grabbing his man by an arm.

"Spade, you don't understand," Newkirk whispered. "S-someone helped her... Someone..." His tired eyes glowed all of a sudden. "Etienne Vert!" He snatched his arm back and turned to Frau Köperschaft. "He helped you! He carried your husband's body downstairs. You and he staged the crime scene, tumble things around... and... then, you killed him... just when you didn't need him anymore."

"How dare you?" Frau Köperschaft looked at him with fiery eyes.

"_Holmes, a child has done this horrid thing."_ They turned to see Colonel Senf getting up with a glass in his hand. "It was dark and cold, she was there, he was there... and suddenly, they kissed." He took a sip of his beer and sighed. "_Vino veritas..."_

"The truth is in the wine?" Kinch frowned.

"No, thank you, I'm having beer," Colonel Senf bowed to him.

Carter shook his head. "Another one who was hit on the head?"

"He had a tough life, le pauvre," LeBeau said.

"Colonel Hogan, this is going too far." Burkhalter turned to Klink. "Gather your men once and for all. Put some order in here, Klink! Where are the damn chains?"

Hogan did not pay much attention to the general. He seemed more interested on what Colonel Senf was saying. "Colonel? Who did you see kissing?"

Senf frowned for a moment, and then he raised his eyebrows. "Oh, yes, this lady here and the innkeeper."

"Quoi? Etienne?"

"I believe that's his name, yes. Nice man, lousy service, though," Colonel Senf shrugged.

"Frau Köperschaft and M. Vert?" Carter said. "But Liesel said that it was Newkirk-"

"LeBeau said that too," Liesel got up. "He told me about how much his friend cares for women. I saw a couple outside and assumed it was the corporal."

LeBeau felt all eyes on him. "I was helping her in the kitchen. There was not much to talk about."

"Enough!" Burkhalter said.

"General, please," Hogan said with conviction. "Let me get this straight. Frau Köperschaft and Etienne Vert had an-"

"No!" Frau Köperschaft stopped when she realized that she was shouting. She took a deep breath as though putting her words in order before they came out. "I met Etienne last year in Casablanca. He had a small café near the market place. My husband was in the desert with his division, I was alone." She turned to Liesel. "I received a telegraph telling me that my husband's division had interrupted contact. I feared the worst... I did not know anyone in Casablanca... Etienne was there for me. He was a good friend..." She lowered her eyes.

"You don't have to say more, Frau Köperschaft," Colonel Klink said. "Hogan, you'd better sit down. Sergeant Schultz!"

"The chains, I know," Schultz separated himself from his glass of Irish coffee. The whiskey was getting him and he had to give the room a second to stop spinning. "My rifle, Langenscheidt."

The corporal was also feeling the effects of his altered coffee. He rubbed his eyes and went for the chains. "Scheiβe! They're hot!"

Klink looked at Burkhalter and shrugged shyly. The general rolled his eyes and exhaled. "Gather your prisoners, Klink and make sure they stay in one place."

Hogan took Newkirk by an arm and pulled him to the table. The Englishman jerked away. "Don't you see it, Spade? She is the murderer!" He turned and pointed at Frau Köperschaft. "There is murder in the air... _it's our duty to unravel it, and isolate it and expose every inch of it!_"

"For the last time, Hogan!"

Klink jumped. He hated being caught in the middle of such confrontations. "Go back, Hogan," he emulated the general's tone but soon he abandoned it. "Just obey, for once."

"I think I'm trying-" Hogan felt someone coming from behind.

"Stay out of this, Moriarty! We are just trying to solve this mystery." Newkirk walked to the window. He put a cigarette in his mouth and held the lighter very near. "I'd rather smoke my pipe," he sighed, as he put the cigarette back in his pocket. "I think I'll quit altogether."

LeBeau, Kinch and Carter exchanged glances. "We should put that on writing," LeBeau chuckled.

"Colonel Hogan, I order you to order your man to stop calling me names!"

"I'm sorry, Colonel Klink. Corporal Newkirk can't help it," Hogan shrugged. He tapped the Englishman on the shoulder to get his attention. "Come, let's sit down."

"Help yourself," said Newkirk with a smile. "I think I just know what happened here." He turned on his heels. "Frau Köperschaft, you planned the death of your husband, but did not have the strength to carry it out. You met Etienne and told him your sad story with the captain. You asked him to get rid of your husband. The crime was perpetrated in your own room and Etienne carried the body downstairs. Corporal Newkirk came here to smoke. You hit him with the candlestick and blamed your gruesome crime on him." He paced back and forth, rubbing his chin and getting pensive. "Then, you killed Etienne for reasons yet to be unveiled."

"I did not kill my husband!" Frau Köperschaft screamed. "Etienne did!" She stopped but it was too late to go back. Everyone's eyes and ears were on her now. "I-I didn't ask him to do it. Etienne hated how Konrad treated me. However, being a gentleman, as he was, Etienne never said anything. When my husband and I came yesterday, after the party, he pretended that he didn't know me. He thought that my husband had rectified his ways and everything was all right between us. After he saw the fight between you and Konrad, Etienne could not keep still and... he..."

"He killed your husband because he could not stand your pathetic sobs anymore!" Liesel yelled. "She asked him to kill her husband. She planned everything! She took advantage of the fight with the Englishman, she told my husband that the captain was a very dangerous man. Poor Etienne, he could not resist a helpless woman. No matter how deceitful and manipulative she was!"

"I'm not lying! It was all Etienne's idea! He wanted to help me. He heard Konrad yelling at me, he feared for my life and came into our room. My husband was aiming his pistol at me. Etienne came from behind and... killed him."

"Your husband was strangled with a string," Hogan said. "Where did he get it from?" He turned to see Fraulein Fritz. "Do you know?"

Before Burkhalter could protest, Hanna shook her head. "I remember having the ball of yarn in my basket when I came in. I left it next to me, by the window. When I went to my room, it had disappeared."

"Magic. Now you see it, now you don't," Colonel Senf said. "The hand is faster than the eye, n'est-ce pas, ma belle dame?" He asked Liesel.

"You are drunk, Monsieur." Liesel went behind the bar and began to dry some glasses. "Someone should take him to his room. It's been a very long night and-"

"Wait," Burkhalter said, "I'm interested in what he has to say."

"Me too," Carter spoke for himself and his friends.

Colonel Senf grinned. "_It was easier to know it than to explain why I know it_, but take my word for it, this young little lady, took the ball of yarn while she thought no one was watching. I let her know that I knew but-"

"He's crazy," Liesel shrugged with a smile.

"Didn't she have a small incident with Colonel Senf when we arrived yesterday afternoon?" Kinch asked.

"Yeah, something about food," Carter said with excitement. "You went to the kitchen to help her, LeBeau."

"Oh, Liesel? No, impossible," LeBeau said.

"I told her what I saw and she gave me more croissants," the colonel shrugged and took another sip of his drink.

Liesel smiled innocently. "Colonel Senf is always telling stories. You cannot believe everything he says."

"Not everything, indeed," Hogan came closer. "But, what if I tell you that I saw you dropping that ball of yarn shortly after we found Captain Köperschaft's body?"

"Oh, no, Liesel," LeBeau looked at her.

"You couldn't see me, I didn't drop it," Liesel said without thinking.

"Liesel Vert," said Carter, writing down on his notebook, "with the rope, in the bedroom."

Liesel put the glass down and walked slowly away to the sink. "Very clever, Colonel Hogan." Suddenly, she went to a secret compartment in a corner of the bar and produced a pistol. Before anyone could stop her, she rushed behind Burkhalter and put the pistol on his temple. "Don't move or your beloved general gets it!"

For a moment, no one said or did anything. They just stayed there, watching how this woman shielded herself behind a man three times her size. Burkhalter regained control of his voice first.

"Klink! Do something!"

Schultz jumped on his feet. He knew that when the general cried for the kommandant, the kommandant would definitely call for him any minute. He gently pushed his rifle away from him and waited. Langenscheidt was next to him, trying to be as invisible as possible.

Klink sought for refuge behind his chair. "Hogan! This is all your fault!"

"So," Hogan said without paying attention to anyone else but Liesel, "is this how you killed Captain Köperschaft? You came from behind and strangled him with a rope."

"I told you already, I didn't kill the captain!" Liesel looked at Hogan impatiently. "Etienne had strong convictions against the Nazis," she chuckled. "He lent his inn to the underground for their meetings. He was a true patriot. "

"I knew it," LeBeau nodded. "Pauvre homme."

Carter and Kinch looked at each other and shrugged.

"Frau Köperschaft convinced him that killing the captain was rather easy. It would be a heroic act that would help the underground cause." Liesel shook her head and sighed. "Poor Etienne was so excited when they crossed that door yesterday afternoon."

"Didn't you say that your coming here was an accident?" Newkirk asked Frau Köperschaft.

"It wasn't!" Liesel yelled. "That bitch hated her husband and lured my Etienne by pretending to be working with the underground too."

"I was in the party feeling that I didn't belong there. I knew that Etienne's inn was near. The blizzard came just in time. I convinced my husband that we must park here. You all know the rest of the story." Frau Köperschaft glared at Liesel. "Etienne was a great man. Of course I don't approve of his ideologies but he was a man of conviction."

"Liar!" Liesel yelled. "I was stupid enough to believe that Etienne was doing this for the love of France; a patriotic act like like blowing trains and bridges." She looked at Hogan and chuckled, "you know what I mean, of course."

Hogan frowned imperceptibly. He threw a warning glance at his men before turning back to Liesel. "He didn't do it for the underground, then?"

"Oh, please," she shook her head. "I was so innocent. She even offered us her gems for the job."

Burkhalter felt the grip loosening a little. He tried to move but Liesel pulled him closer. "All right, I won't move, I won't move! Hogan!"

"Relax, General, negotiations are not done yet," Newkirk said with a smile. "Tell me, my lady, what made you see you were wrong about your husband?"

"I saw him kissing that woman under the lamppost outside." Liesel allowed herself to grin. "LeBeau talked to me about your ways with women. I knew that if I was convincing enough, he would backup my story.

"That was enough to plant the seed of doubt." Newkirk nodded and walked towards the window. "You blamed the murder on Corporal Newkirk. Etienne put the body in the restaurant, took Newkirk's knife and-"

"Why is the Englander talking in third person?" Klink asked.

"The blow on the head," Hogan explained. "Which reminds me, which one of you two, girls was the one with the candlestick?"

Liesel and Frau Köperschaft exchanged glances. "Oh, what the hell?" Liesel rolled her eyes. "What difference would it make anyway? I was me," she shrugged. "But just out of curiosity, how did you know it was a woman?"

"Actually," Newkirk said raising his hand, "I deducted it by reckoning the trajectory of the blow, the length and depth of the wound, the speed and the weight of the object in question and-"

"Dear Lord, he talks just like Sherlock Holmes," Colonel Senf shook his head and drank some more from his glass.

"Elemental, my dear Colonel, I am Sherlock Holmes," Newkirk frowned. He rubbed his forehead and shook his head. "I don't understand why everybody keeps... questioning..."

LeBeau and Carter got up but waited for Hogan's nod of approval before rushing to Newkirk's side. They sat down at a table by the window. "Are you okay, mon ami?"

"My head is spinning." Newkirk shut his eyes for a moment.

Carter was concerned but he smiled anyway. He patted Newkirk's arm and gave him a reassuring smile. "Just take it easy, you'll feel better soon."

Newkirk smiled back. "You are the doctor, my dear Watson. I trust you completely."

Liesel rolled her eyes as though dragging the attention back to her. "Now you're going to ask me if I killed my husband too?" She asked Hogan.

"I don't have to," he shrugged. "We know it was you."

"Really?" Liesel almost laughed. "Maybe you didn't look hard enough."

"We did, Kinch and I. Right, Kinch?"

"Right, sir."

"We didn't see anything but your spatula, next to the body." Hogan grinned. "I have to tell you, Mme Vert, I would have been more careful. I bet your fingerprints are all around."

Liesel stared at Hogan with a frown. "LeBeau's glove is right there!"

"Where?" LeBeau asked, showing his gloved hands for everyone to see. "I didn't take them off. It's too cold."

Liesel narrowed her eyes. "One of his gloves was on the kitchen floor, next to the body! LeBeau hit Etienne with the spatula!"

"Gloves?" Hogan snorted. "I didn't see anything like that. How about you, Kinch?"

"Nothing, sir. Only the poor innkeeper lying on the floor."

"All right!" Liesel pressed her gun against Burkhalter's temple. "Have it your way, it was an accident."

"An accident?" Frau Köperschaft stood up. "She killed him! She couldn't bear seeing him in love with me and killed him!"

"So what? You came under false pretenses. She told him that she was working for the underground and Etienne believed her." Liesel's voice broke while she fought to hold the tears. "I believed her too... I pushed him to help her... How stupid of me! That was what they both wanted!"

"So," Klink said in a pensive tone, "you work for the underground?"

Burkhalter felt the gun and shuddered. "Shut up, Klink! We don't care who works for whom! Mme Vert, I assure you that I haven't heard anything. I also have a terrible memory. I almost forget everything that has happened tonight."

"Now he's talking like Schultz," Kinch whispered. LeBeau and Carter smiled.

Liesel pushed Burkhalter towards the main door. "It doesn't matter what you have heard or how much you will remember. You won't be here to tell the tale anyway."

They passed Hogan. Burkhalter could hardly walk straight with this girl, half his size grabbing him by his shoulder and pointing a gun to his temple. It could be a laughable scene if not was for the fact that they will be all dead if that gun fired. Keeping a dead captain in the freezer was bad enough already. The authorities would never leave them alone if they found General Burkhalter dead in addition to everything else.

"Hogan, do something!" Klink called him from behind. Obviously, he was trying to score points with the general, even in their darkest hour.

"I'd like to see you try, Colonel Hogan," Liesel said, stopping right in front of him. "Remember yesterday afternoon when you sent LeBeau to help me in the kitchen? We had a good time he and I."

Hogan did not like the festive tone in her words. Also a strange glow in her eyes was rather disturbing. Not talking was the best move Hogan could think of at the moment.

"We talked a lot about France, and la guerre, and our jobs..."

Hogan darted a killer look at LeBeau. The Frenchman smiled innocently at him. Kinch and Carter could only sigh.

Liesel grinned triumphantly. "I think we are reaching the point for negotiations, n'est-ce pas?"

tbc

* * *

><p><em>Thank you for keep on reading, next chapter will be the last one!<em>


	9. the curtain rings up for the last act

_Here is the conclusion at last. Thank you for your reviews. It has been so much fun all the way!_

* * *

><p>ACT NINE <em><strong>Come, friend Watson, the curtain rings up for the last act<strong>_

"Negotiations? What kind of negotiations?" Klink asked.

"The kind that will set me free," Liesel said. "Now, gentlemen, let's say that I have something that might interest you all."

Kinch moved to his friends' table. He pulled at LeBeau's sleeve to talk to him in secret. "She seems to have something over our heads. What did you tell her?"

"Nothing," LeBeau shrugged.

"Only name, rank, serial number and your aunt's address in Paris?" Carter shook his head. "She's the typical fam... fem..."

"Femme fatale?" Newkirk winced in pain.

Kinch sat next to him. "You don't look so good."

"Just a splitting headache, my friend," Newkirk said with a fainting smile. "She looks quite satisfied. What can she possibly hold against you?"

"Nothing," LeBeau repeated, "and I don't have an aunt in Paris. We just talked about the underground and the operations-"

"Operations?"

"You know, the bridges, train stations-"

Carter elbowed him. "Not in front of him!"

Kinch chuckled. "It's okay, Carter. Mr. Holmes would never betray us, would you?"

"Of course not," Newkirk nodded. He stood up, leaning on the table until his blurred sight cleared. He rejected Kinch's help and started walking toward Hogan.

0)()(0

Hogan stared at Liesel as though reading her thoughts. There was no way to know how much she knew about their operations. He could not ask or get her talking with Klink and Burkhalter so close and attentive. But he could not let her go either. The general would have a ball listening to whatever the girl had to say. Hogan sighed. He could pray for a miracle; he had done it before...

"Miss Vert," Newkirk said, slowly stepping forward. "This is not the way to solve this problem. See? In my line of work, I am used to contemplating the little parts before looking at the entire whole. You are too young to throw your life away like this..." He kept walking toward her.

"Stop right there! I know how to use this," Liesel said, aiming the pistol at Newkirk. "I spared your life once already; you won't be so lucky this time."

"Hey! You are not as nice as I thought you were," LeBeau yelled at her. "I'm so sorry I wanted to be friends with you."

"My heart bleeds," Liesel snorted.

"It's okay, LeBeau," Carter said, "we were all deceived by her innocent looks."

"I didn't," Kinch said. "This is something that wouldn't have happened to Hercules Poirot, you know?"

"Don't call me that! He's not even French!"

"Shocking isn't it? I just got to that part in the book and-"

"Carter!" Hogan, Kinch and LeBeau yelled at the same time.

"Is this the group you work with?" Liesel chuckled and looked at Hogan.

Newkirk got close enough to slap the pistol off Liesel's hand. The weapon fired as it hit the floor and everybody sought for shelter. Newkirk was still on his feet but struggling to stay awake. He lowered his head and rubbed his eyes. "There must be... another... way..." Suddenly, he fell on Burkhalter.

The general could not keep his balance and he and Newkirk fell over Liesel. She dragged herself out from under them and crawled to pick up the pistol. Klink saw it close to his boot and kicked it away before seeking refuge against the wall. The pistol slid near Frau Köperschaft but Colonel Senf was faster to stop it under his boot. He looked around as every pair of eyes fell on him. Slowly, he picked up the weapon and aimed at Liesel, still on the floor.

Senf stared at her for a moment. Then, he smiled. "_Was ever woman in this humor won?*"_He handed the pistol to Hogan. "This game is over; you may start another one, my dear friend."

"Schultz! Disarm the prisoner!" Klink yelled running to lift up Burkhalter.

Hogan hesitated for a moment before putting the gun in Schultz's hand. Then, he went to check on Newkirk. The others were already there. Carter saw a strange shadow pass through Hogan's eyes and he wondered what the colonel had in mind. "That was close, eh, Colonel?"

"Carter, you have no idea," Hogan said. He knelt down and touched Newkirk's shoulder. "He's still unconscious."

"Is he going to be all right?" LeBeau asked with concern.

"It's been a long night. Newkirk needs to rest." Kinch took out his jacket and put it under Newkirk's head. "Maybe some of fresh air?"

"Let's put him by the window," said Hogan. He and Kinch moved him, while Carter and LeBeau made room in a corner.

"Colonel Hogan," Klink called him from a distance.

"Now what?" Hogan whispered. He took a deep sigh and pretended to be calmer than he actually was. "Yes, Kommandant? I see you have canceled the firing squad." He grinned at Schultz and Langenscheidt who widely smiled from another table.

Klink smirked. "The murderer confessed. I guess your man is free of charges."

"Not so fast, Klink," Burkhalter roared. "Do you forget that your prisoners carry weapons?"

Hogan waited until the general was closer before answering to that. He kept his poker face, hoping to find the right thing to say. "My men are not armed. They haven't carried a weapon since they were captured and sent to Stalag 13. Kommandant Klink would never allow it." He turned to his men. "Right, boys."

"Absolutely," said Kinch.

"He's the Iron Eagle," Carter shrugged.

"I can't even have a wooden spoon, sir," LeBeau said before going back to Newkirk.

"The Englander has a knife."

"With all due respect, General Burkhalter, I haven't seen that knife you're talking about."

"Colonel Hogan," Klink tried to put some peace between them and the general.

"Where is the knife?" Hogan shrugged. "Show me the knife. There is no knife, right boys?"

Before they started their answers again, the general slammed the door with an open hand. "Enough, Hogan!"

"Could you keep it down, gentlemen? Newkirk needs peace and quiet."

Everybody turned to Carter. Only Hogan and Kinch laughed. Burkhalter shook his head, he was about to question Klink about his prisoners' disrespect when Liesel got up. "Oh, please!" She rolled her eyes and sighed. "This man is not what you think he is."

Hogan and his men did not dare to move or say anything. The woman looked determined to take them down with her. She even smiled triumphantly when Klink and Burkhalter turned to her.

"We don't need to listen to her, she's a murderer and a liar," said Klink, afraid of unveiling something bad about his Stalag.

"Quiet, I'll be the judge of that," Burkhalter smirked. "What do you have to say, Frau Vert?"

"A lot, mon General," she grinned to Hogan. "This man, Colonel Hogan, has a-"

"A car!"

Hogan glared at Carter. The young sergeant had his heart in the right place but did not think much before talking. "Carter, please-" Hogan whispered.

"A car is coming, sir, sirs," Carter pointed to the window.

LeBeau and Kinch came to see. "Oulalà, qu'elle voiture!"

"De luxe," Kinch nodded.

Hogan did not have time to understand what was happening. He could just go with the flow and hope that whatever it was, would take them away from the main problem. "Who could it be at this hour?" Hogan said, glancing at his watch.

"Schultz! Be prepared," Burkhalter ordered, pushing Klink to open the door.

The German sergeant sighed and began to look for his rifle again. "Why me? Why always me?" Schultz said for Langenscheidt's ears only.

Klink walked reluctantly to the door but someone opened it from the outside. A man in black came in. Hogan had to look at him twice to recognize the sneaky stranger they kept meeting everywhere. Only that this man was too serious and inexpressive.

"Good morning, gentlemen, ladies," he nodded. "My name is Konrad Richtermeir, SS," he tapped his heels and showed a small business card that nobody could read at that distance. "I have come following the path of two dangerous criminals. A couple, a French couple. M. and Mme Vert," he read from a piece of paper.

"Excuse me," Klink said, narrowing his eyes. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"Klink, please," Burkhalter pushed him to come through. "It was about time for someone to come this way. We have been disconnected from the outside world since yesterday. What division exactly do you say you represent?"

"That's classified information, General." The man smiled. "Just tell me, have you seen a couple of such description? My time is limited and I would like to go on my way as soon as possible."

"Precisely," Burkhalter nodded and Langenscheidt pulled Liesel gently to her feet. "Half of the couple is here. I am afraid that M. Vert is no longer with us. She killed him."

"Really? Maybe the authorities should be the ones to determine that, don't you think?" The man said.

"She confessed publicly," Burkhalter shrugged. "Let's not waste any more time. Take the girl and please, send help. There are people here who would like to get home today."

"Certainly," the man nodded. "I am sure that I saw a patrol coming after me." He turned casually towards Hogan. "Help is on its way." He took the girl's arm and went back to his car.

"You think you have heard the last of me," Liesel snatched her arm back. "I'll talk, I'll confess what I did and then, I'll talk about you, Colonel Hogan!"

Hogan knew that Burkhalter and Klink were looking at him. He remained with a little grin on his face. His concerned about the safety of their operations grew by the minute.

"What has just happened?" Carter scratched his head. "Who is that man really?"

"Beats me," Kinch shrugged, staring at the car rolling down the hill.

"I insist that I have seen that man before," Klink shook his head as though to put his thoughts in motion.

"In one of those boring meetings at Stalag 13 perhaps," Burkhalter said going back to his table. He would spend his time making sure that Hanna Fritz was all right.

0)()(0

Carter looked at the list of suspects on his notebook one more time. He checked them all and nodded. "Two murders, two murderers. I didn't see that coming and you?"

LeBeau shrugged and went behind the bar. "I never thought Liesel would be capable of that." He put a teapot on a tray. "Here, help me with the cups, s'il-te plaît."

They went back to the table, where Kinch was changing Newkirk's bandages. The Englishman was awake, although a little confused.

"Ouch!" He complained loudly.

"Stop moving. I'm almost done." Kinch cleaned the wound with a wet cloth. "The swell is coming down. How do you feel?"

"Me head is killing me," he rubbed the back of his neck. "They wouldn't happen to have an aspirin in this bloody place, would they?"

"No aspirin, but I found tea," LeBeau said with a smile.

Newkirk felt his friends staring at him while he helped himself to a cup. "What?"

"Nothing," Carter shrugged. He could not stop smiling. "We're just happy to see you."

"You are weird," Newkirk frowned.

Hogan came to sit with them. He looked happy too. "Newkirk, how do you-?"

"I'm fine. I have a monster headache and you, lads, look weird."

"Any news, Colonel?" Kinch asked.

"Langenscheidt saw trucks coming this way. They'll be here in a few minutes."

"More soldiers?" Carter asked.

"I don't know, possibly," Hogan said. "At least, our detective job is over."

"It was a good job, but let's not do it too often," LeBeau said.

Newkirk glared I them. "Did I miss anything while I was unconscious?"

"Actually, you weren't unconscious all the time." Carter took his notebook.

"In fact, you helped us to solve the crime," Kinch said.

"It wasn't him, it was Sherlock Holmes," LeBeau said.

"I was who?"

"Sherlock Holmes, and the colonel was Sam Spade and I was Dupin, Carter was Watson-"

"And I was Poirot," LeBeau smirked, "it was fun until I found out he isn't French."

Newkirk looked at each one of them with wary eyes. "You're pulling me leg here."

"C'est vrai, you told me..."

"Personally, I would have liked to be another detective like Dick Tracy or Phillip Marlowe," Carter sighed. "But Dr. Watson is okay."

Newkirk rubbed his face and shook his head. "I thought I was the only one with a bump on his head."

"For the moment, you're still the one." Hogan turned to LeBeau. "Guys, we need to talk. If that man was really working for the SS, Liesel could be talking as we speak."

"He could still be the salesman in disguise," Carter said.

"Colonel, I'm so sorry. I tried not to talk, but she looked so sincere and vulnerable. I just wanted to make her feel better," LeBeau said.

"I could have shot her... I had the chance a while ago... Colonel Senf handed me the gun... I had her just in front of me. It could have been so easy," Hogan looked at them quietly. Then, he smiled at LeBeau. "It's okay; we knew something like this could happen anytime. Let's just hope that we can get to the Stalag before all hell breaks loose."

"What happened? LeBeau got drunk and spilled all the beans with the bird?"

"We'll laugh later, Newkirk, when we are all safe and on our way home." Hogan tried to smile.

Langenscheidt opened the door and they jumped in surprise. "They're here!"

Morning had broken and the blizzard had stopped. The road and the cars were under several inches of snow. It was cold and the incipient sun did not do much to warm up the day. Despite the weather conditions, everybody in the Löwenmähner Inn came out. It seemed that they could not wait to leave that place once and for all.

Two trucks parked right in front of them. The first one was rather familiar. Hogan did not need to see the driver to guess who he was. "Schnitzer?"

The loyal kennel keeper came out, inexpressive as always. He barely nodded at Klink or Burkhalter. Two men with shovels followed him. The three of them began to work on the cars near the inn. Hogan pretended to come to help.

"Local police or Army?" Hogan asked quietly, looking at the other truck.

"Locals," answered Schnitzer. "We would not have risked coming with the Army." He took an envelop out of his pocket and slowly passed it to Hogan. "A stranger came to us this morning. He alerted us of what had happened."

"Tall, dark and handsome?"

Schnitzer smiled. "He said Etienne is dead?" He saw Hogan's nod. "He let something with us... small, pretty and with a lot to say about..."

"I know, we had some leak," Hogan sighed.

"It has been neutralized," Schnitzer said. "The man left the package with us. We'll take care of her."

Hogan felt a weight lifting off his shoulders. He could not show his relief just yet, not in front of the Germans.

"Hogan!" Burkhalter pulled his rank over Klink's once more. "Are you keeping them company? Go and bring your men outside. Put them to work!"

Hogan turned to Schnitzer, "Thank you," he whispered before going back inside the inn.

0)()(0

_Dear Colonel Hogan,_

_At this point, you must know already that I am a thief. I came this way, following Captain Köperschaft and some precious stones that he and his wife brought from Casablanca. I was not counting on him leaving his party so early or on the weather to strand us all in the Löwenmähner Pension. I took it as a stroke of gold. I had to make the best out of it. Therefore, if you notice that some things in that inn are missing, you will not need Sherlock Holmes to figure out what happened. _

_My traveling companion, Mme Vert, believed me to be an officer and told me about the operations of sabotage and escape that you and your men are doing in Stalag 13. You will be pleased to know that she will not have the chance to tell that story anymore. Providence is on our side today. I met some members of the underground on the road and they promised to take care of her._

_I like to think that I contributed to your inquiry. The things I sent you with your man must certainly have helped to put together the last pieces of the puzzle. I also found something that I gathered belongs to one of your men. I must commend you for the high-class men at your service. Your corporal recognized me right away. No wonder you call him Sherlock Holmes. By the way, I like your code names. They are quite inventive. I hope that we will meet again under better circumstances. Until then, good luck._

_Sincerely,_

_A. L._

Hogan finished the letter and opened the small package that came with it. He held Newkirk's knife for a moment before handing it to him. "This is yours."

"Blimey, Gov'nor, I didn't know I had lost it." Newkirk examined it. He noticed that the blade was stained. "Are those red spots-?"

"You don't want to know," Kinch said. "Just wash it thoroughly when we go back to the Stalag."

Newkirk shrugged and hid his weapon in the secret pocket on the back of his jacket. "So, A. L? What do those initials stand for?"

"Arsène Lupin," Carter said. "You were right all the time."

"Who, me? Who do you think I am, bloody Sherlock Holmes?" Newkirk chuckled. "I don't even remember the bloke."

LeBeau laughed loudly from the window, where he had been watching how the police put the two bodies in one of the trucks. "Certainement, You are not Sherlock Holmes."

"Same here," Kinch smiled.

"From all of us," Hogan said.

"Arsène Lupin is just a literature character, isn't he?" Kinch asked. "He doesn't exist."

"But the letter-" Carter was about to insist but Schultz came to interrupt them.

"Schnitzer is leaving," LeBeau said looking through the window. "Langenscheidt is driving Colonel Senf. Frau Köperschaft is sitting in the police truck. Do you think they arrested her?"

"She conspired with Etienne to murder her husband," Hogan said crossing out her name from Carter's list.

"Oh, this is so romantic," LeBeau smiled. "General Burkhalter is helping Fraulein Fritz to get in his car."

They all came to see. "Oh, the big man is a married man," Kinch shook his head.

"Naughty boy," Newkirk grinned.

"What does she see in him?" Carter asked.

"You don't expect us to answer that question, right?" Hogan laughed.

There was an exchange of words between Burkhalter and Klink and then, the general took a seat next to the lady. Klink did not look happy when he came back to the inn. Hogan and his men rushed to sit down and look casual.

"Your truck is ready; Schultz will get you home now." Klink smirked. "I have to drive Fraulein Fritz to her home in Gräfendor."

"That's like 40 minutes from here, isn't it?" Carter said with fake commiseration.

"Then, I have to drive General Burckhalter home... his sister is visiting. He will probably make me stay for dinner... I'll be coming back to the Stalag pass midnight!"

Hogan could not hide a grin. "We won't wait up, I promise."

Klink did not like the light atmosphere on his account. He straightened his shoulders and hardened his tone. "Just get in the car and go to the camp. It's an order!" He turned on his heels but stopped and turned back. "Colonel Hogan, that man from the SS, didn't look a little suspicious? I think I saw him before..." He snapped his fingers. "I know, Field Marshal's party. He was one of the waiters."

Hogan's men looked as though someone would have told a joke, but no one dared to laugh. "Colonel Klink, I know that Germany's armed forces are in crisis, but sending their people to wait tables in a local party?"

"Yeah, that's POW work, isn't it?" Carter said with a shrug.

Klink glared at him and shook his head. "Get out of here." He stormed out, straight to his car.

"You heard him, boys. Field trip is over. Time to go home." Hogan got up. He and Kinch helped Newkirk to get on his feet. "Can you walk, Sherlock?"

"You made up all barmy stories just to bugger me of, didn't you?" Newkirk looked at his friends and sighed. "Stop staring, that's rude."

Schultz was outside, leaning on the truck's door. He had his eyes closed and snorted right when they approached.

"Is this the man that's driving us to the Stalag?" LeBeau asked aloud.

"He's practically sleeping on his feet," Kinch yelled, while supporting Newkirk.

Schultz jumped and dropped his rifle. He looked at them and shook his head. "Jolly jokers begin the day early, don't they? I am tired because I had to shove the snow all by myself. Where were you? The general sent you to help us."

"Are you complaining? We couldn't risk our health on this weather, could we?" Hogan grinned.

"You and your Geneva Convention," Schultz snorted. He bent over to pick up his weapon. "Newkirk, how is your head?"

The Englishman touched his bandaged forehead and shrugged. "Getting back to its normal size." He leaned forward as though to speak in secrecy. "But these blokes are talking weird."

"It's the lack of sleep," Schultz nodded. "With all the commotion, lights in, lights out... Bodies everywhere," he shook his head. "Good thing that Colonel Hogan is Sam Spade's cousin-"

Newkirk rolled his eyes and almost lost balance. "You too, Schultzie? This joke isn't helping to me headache."

"Let's get out of here," Carter said.

"Oui, Newkirk needs to sleep," LeBeau jumped on the truck to help the Englishman to get in.

"We all need some good sleep hours." Schultz turned around to make sure they were alone. "I intend to sleep all day long now that the big shot is gone. He won't come back till midnight."

"That sounds like a plan," Hogan said. He waited last in line to get in the truck. He was about to jump in when Carter shouted from inside.

"Oh, damn!"

"What is it?"

"The last chapter of his book is missing," said Kinch, pushing LeBeau to give Hogan room to sit down on their bench. "Who could do something like that anyway?"

"It's a German library in a bloody German POW camp, you figure it out," said Newkirk, lying along the front bench.

"Cochons," LeBeau sighed, shaking his head.

"Now, I'll never know who the murderer was," Carter whined.

"You can wait till the end of the war and buy the book," Hogan shrugged.

"Or, you can tell us the story so far. Maybe Sam Spade here can solve the mystery."

"Don't encourage him, Kinch," Newkirk said, resting his head on his hands and closing his eyes.

"It's okay, I can wait, I guess," Carter sighed.

"I wasn't talking about you, Carter."

"Oh, Newkirk, you don't trust my detective skills?"

"No offense, but for what I have seen so far-"

"Well, you haven't seen anything yet," Hogan smiled. "Go ahead, Carter. Tell us all about it. Dupin, Poirot and Sam Spade are all ears for you."

"I'm not playing. Poirot is not French."

"Oh, don't take it so personally, Louie," Kinch shrugged. "You can be Dupin. I don't mind being Poirot."

"How about you, Sherlock?" Carter asked Newkirk.

Schultz started the engine and the truck began to roll down the hill. After a brief moment, Newkirk took a purposeful breath. "All right, Watson, but only until we get home."

* * *

><p><em>Well, I hope you liked the last chapter. <em>

_Till next time, thank you and see you later_


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